The second ODI against South Africa in Gqeberha on December 19 resulted in another setback for the wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson. Following his absence in the World Cup 2023, his return to the field fell short of expectations. Former New Zealand cricketer turned commentator, Simon Doull went on to analyze Samson’s performance and emphasized a worrisome pattern in his dismissals.
The wicketkeeper-batter struggled to establish stability at the crease, managing only 12 runs off 23 balls, succumbing to a familiar issue. Doull highlighted that his dismissal echoed a recurring flaw in his technique which is attempting to shuffle away and ultimately edging the ball onto his stumps. While this strategy might be effective in more favourable conditions, it appeared unsuitable when confronted with a challenging pitch that provided movement for the ball.
“Yeah, he’s not had a real extended run, but he’s had opportunities in back-to-back games. Quite a typical, Sanju Samson dismissal. You know, he finds ways to get out when at times he shouldn’t. He’s a little shuffle playing away from his body. We see that often. It’s ok on surfaces in India to be playing away from your body when the ball doesn’t do much. But it’s nipping around a little, quite a fraught with danger, that type of shot, you see the angle of the bat at 45 degrees. It’s not a classical straight bat shot. He sort of wants that wand outside the line of off-stump far too often, and I think that’s what people get frustrated with Sanju,” Doull said while speaking to Star Sports.
Samson lacks consistency in scoring runs
The discussion about Samson’s position in the Indian team has heightened due to his inconsistency, particularly with only one notable score during the recent West Indies tour. With the noteworthy performances of wicketkeepers KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan in previous matches, the 28-year-old batter’s position in the lineup appears precarious.
Despite possessing potential, the right-hand batter has seen limited playing time on the field, featuring in only 15 ODIs and 24 T20Is for India. Although his T20I statistics raise concerns, with an average below 20, his performance in the 50-over format indicates promise for maintaining an average of 50.25 at a strike rate of 101.
