Top News

Sanju Samson has scored three centuries through his five matches as India's opening batsman yet his position as T20I opener remains unproven. The management used him as a scapegoat to test Shubman Gill for the opening position which forced Samson to bat lower in the order until they finally released him from the team. Gill has been dropped from the team and Samson has reclaimed his position as opener but now Ishan Kishan has entered the competition after he received a late call-up to join India for the T20 World Cup 2026.

Kishan's return to the team has brought new energy to the team. A player who featured in the 2023 ODI World Cup and owns the fastest ODI double hundred wasn’t even in BCCI’s central contract list a year ago. He returned to the Indian national team after he played domestic cricket and achieved his breakthrough season in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT). He led Jharkhand to their first SMAT championship victory by scoring 517 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 197.33.

The timing of that tournament couldn’t have been better for Kishan, as it helped him jump straight into India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad. The same group is now facing New Zealand in the ongoing T20I series. Kishan received good fortune because he entered the starting lineup after Tilak Varma suffered his injury. The opportunity to play at number three would have gone to Tilak if he were healthy whereas Kishan now puts pressure on Samson through his performance.

Samson has gained some confidence from his brief performance during the fifth T20I match against South Africa which took place in Ahmedabad. The combination of his ability to match Abhishek Sharma's playing speed and his wicketkeeper position gives India more tactical options. Kishan possesses identical abilities so Samson needs to prove himself because Kishan's performance during the second T20I match in Raipur will create competition between them.

Kishan launched an offensive against New Zealand bowlers after his first match performance which failed to impress him. He scored a 21-ball fifty which established a new record for the fastest half-century in T20I matches between India and New Zealand. Kishan used the pitch conditions to his advantage while Samson encountered difficulties and produced an impressive batting performance. He destroyed the Kiwi bowlers by hitting 76 runs from 32 deliveries. Kishan achieved a 237.50 strike rate which enabled India to complete their quickest T20I chase of a 200-plus target.

Also read: IND vs NZ, 2nd T20I: Ishan Kishan surpasses Abhishek Sharma’s record against New Zealand

The Indian opener who used to play for India shared his opinion about Kishan's powerful performance because he believes that Sanju Samson now must handle the weight of the game. He even added that if Samson fails in the next couple of games, Kishan could take his place in the XI.

The upcoming series against New Zealand functions as a practice match for the T20 World Cup 2026 tournament. Players who perform well during the five games will increase their chances to join the playing XI at the home World Cup. Samson currently holds the position of first-choice keeper but two more unsuccessful matches will lead the team management to select Kishan as their primary choice.

The situation will become difficult for the team to explain when Kishan achieves another speedy fifty while Samson fails to perform. The team needs to choose between Samson and Kishan because Tilak Varma will return to his position at number three after he recovers from his injury. The two players must compete against each other because their situation requires it. All attention now focuses on the upcoming third T20I match which will take place on January 25 in Guwahati.