Do India have a Sanju Samson riddle to solve again?

When the selectors picked the T20 World Cup squad, Sanju Samson became the answer to an important question: who opens with Abhishek Sharma? Samson won that battle over Shubman Gill, with chief selector Ajit Agarkar explaining the omission was driven by team combinations.

This decision corrected course from earlier in 2025. The Abhishek-Samson opening pair was persisted with across three series in 2024 and early 2025, but Samson became collateral damage when India reintegrated Gill for the Asia Cup after his Test commitments.

Samson was pushed to the middle order, where he struggled and was a poorer fit than the back-up keeper Jitesh Sharma, who brought finishing skills. By the World Cup discussions, the thinking flipped again. Gill was short of runs, Samson went back to the top, and Ishan Kishan—fresh off a prolific SMAT campaign—was brought in as reserve keeper and top-order cover.

Less than two weeks from India's first World Cup game, a noticeable blemish has appeared. India wrapped up the five-match series 3-0, but Samson had little involvement in the wins. In Guwahati, he was bowled on the first ball of the chase.

Ajinkya Rahane noted on Cricbuzz Live: "For him, there's a slight tweak. What I saw in the last two games is he likes to go back in his crease. He's not leaning towards the ball, he's slightly upright. If you see his dismissals also—first game towards square leg and second towards mid-on—it's because of his back and across movement. He likes to go too deep."

The lack of runs is not a one-week problem. Since January 2025, Samson has made it past the PowerPlay just once in nine T20I innings as an opener. In this stretch, he averages 11.55. This slump contrasts with his 2024 form, which included knocks of 111 (47) against Bangladesh and 109 (56) against South Africa.

Samson's situation is complicated by Ishan Kishan's ability at the top. Kishan left Suryakumar Yadav impressed with his intent in Raipur and combined well with Abhishek during the PowerPlay in Guwahati. Kishan's game time came due to an injury to Tilak Varma, but he brings genuine opening experience. Samson's struggles have effectively turned Kishan into a de facto opener.

So what next for this batting triangle: Samson, Kishan, and Tilak Varma, who is expected to return from the fourth T20I? As the third-ranked T20I batter, Tilak will walk straight back into the one-drop role. That leaves India with an opener in a rut and a top-order back-up brimming with confidence.

Yet, it is unlikely Samson is playing with a target on his back so soon after the management renewed its faith in him. In a series where Suryakumar turned his form around in three days, Samson will be backed to attempt the same. If that does not pan out, India could find themselves confronting another big call at the World Cup, with Samson at the centre of it.