Sanju Samson India New Zealand T20 series - Best11.in
Sanju Samson made his international cricket debut in 2015, playing an ODI against Zimbabwe. However, he struggled to secure a permanent spot in the national team. Despite being part of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad last year, he didn’t get a chance in the playing XI. Things changed significantly after Gautam Gambhir became coach. Sanju became a regular T20 opener for India, justifying expectations with impressive performances. He is expected to be India’s opener in the 2026 T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. Even if he doesn’t open, his place in the playing XI as a wicketkeeper is assured.
Sanju now has a golden opportunity to play his first international match at his home ground. India will face New Zealand in a T20 series as part of World Cup preparations, with the fifth match at Thiruvananthapuram’s Greenfield International Stadium, Sanju’s home ground. This will be his first time playing an international match in front of his home crowd in Kerala. In 2019, Sanju was in the squad for a T20 against West Indies in Thiruvananthapuram but didn’t make the playing XI, with Rishabh Pant as the wicketkeeper. India lost that match.
Since the T20 series against Bangladesh last year, Sanju has been India’s T20 opener. He scored a century in the third match of that series, marking a turning point. He also shone in South Africa, scoring two centuries. These performances cemented his place in India’s T20 team. Last year, he was India’s top T20I run-scorer, amassing 436 runs in 13 matches. In 42 T20Is, Sanju has scored 861 runs at an average of 25.32, including three centuries and two fifties.
India, the reigning T20 World Cup champions, defeated South Africa in the 2024 final. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal, absent from recent T20 series, are likely to join the 2026 World Cup squad, given their strong white-ball form. Gill, who last played a T20I against Sri Lanka as vice-captain, is a key figure. There’s also anticipation about the second wicketkeeper spot, with Jitesh Sharma or Rishabh Pant as likely contenders.
