Sanju Samson’s Fate Sealed?” – Aakash Chopra on India’s New T20I Opening Combination

Is Sanju Samson Set to Be Dropped? Aakash Chopra Weighs in on India’s T20I Opening Conundrum

The opening pair for India’s T20I team has sparked conversations ahead of the tournament, with chief selector Ajit Agarkar giving the decision solely to the captain and coach, speculation continues about who will open between Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma.

Former cricketer Aakash Chopra believes the decision has already been solved — and it may present issues for Samson to be in the XI.

Gill vs. Samson vs. Abhishek: Who Should Open?

Earlier this year, during the T20I series in England, India gave Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson a shot at opening the batting.

Abhishek really came through, showing some great hitting and even becoming the number one T20I batter, according to the ICC rankings.

Samson, on the other hand, had a tough time finding his groove, only scoring 51 runs in five innings.

Even with that struggle, Samson has had some great moments before, including three centuries over two tours. Now that Gill is back and playing really well, it looks like things could be shifting.

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Aakash Chopra: “Gill’s Vice-Captaincy Signals The End of Samson”

While speaking on JioHotstar Aakash Chopra was very straightforward about the implications of the selectors’ decision.

“With Shubman Gill’s return as vice-captain, Sanju Samson’s fate is sealed. He will not feature in the playing XI now. You will not drop Tilak Varma or Hardik Pandya, which means Samson sits out, and Jitesh Sharma will likely get the nod. With Gill opening, Samson is the obvious casualty,” Chopra explained.

Chopra’s comments signal a change in priorities where the attention is on batting slots and future leadership as a whole, rather than reputations.

Ajit Agarkar Says Team Management Will Decide

When asked who will open, Ajit Agarkar didn’t give a clear answer.

He said the captain and coach will pick the best combo for the team. There are more choices now. Shubman is in good shape, and so is Sanju. Both, along with Abhishek, are good choices.

This means the management wants to stay flexible. Gill was just made vice-captain, so he’ll likely be the first choice to open.

Is This the End for Samson in T20I?

Sanju Samson has had great moments, yet, not being steady has been a big loss for him. With Gill-Abhishek now leading as openers and Jitesh Sharma ready as the wicketkeeper-batter, Samson’s place in the team seems in real danger.

For fans of Samson, this might be hard to take. Yet, for India, it marks a move to set up a stable, young, and leader-driven team for what’s ahead.