A match in front of his home crowd did not ignite runs from Sanju Samson's bat. Playing his first ever international match, expectations were high from Samson as India took the field for the IND vs NZ 5th T20I in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The Kerala star had a short stay at the crease, scoring a run-a-ball 6 before being dismissed.
It continued a pattern of low scores from the India opener in the IND vs NZ series. Sanju overall has scored just 46 runs in 5 games, struggling to make an impact. His dwindling returns have irked the fans, who trolled him for his poor show. Some even likened him to Babar Azam, who has also struggled for Pakistan in the shortest format of the game.
How netizens reacted to Sanju Samson's dismissal
One user commented, "Sanju ne kasam khaayi hai ki wo run kabhi nahi banayega."
Another one asked for more severe measures, suggesting an international cricket ban. 'He belongs in gully cricket,' the user wrote.
Samson's spot in danger?
Sanju was backed by the selectors and team management for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 ahead of vice-captain Shubman Gill. However, the Kerala batter's form has been shocking in a series where runs have flown from the bat. Barring Sanju, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh have all got runs under their belt.
With Tilak Varma also set to be in the mix for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, Samson could find himself on the sidelines. While Sanju has struggled, Kishan has shown with flying colours. It could prompt Gautam Gambhir to pick the left-hander at the top. Abhishek and Kishan are good friends and play for the same IPL team as well.
