Sanju Samson is definitely short on confidence: Sunil Gavaskar

Former Indian captain and commentator Sunil Gavaskar has reckoned that Ishan Kishan deserves to be in the Indian playing XI when India takes on the United States of America in the T20 World Cup 2026 on Saturday, February 7.

Speaking exclusively to Star Sports after the fifth and final T20I against New Zealand, Gavaskar asserted that Samson has received enough opportunities. However, the opening batter could score only 46 runs in five games in the series against New Zealand.

"I think the selection committee was quite forthright, giving Sanju Samson all the opportunities. But now, with Ishan Kishan's innings here and Tilak Varma likely to return, the batting order looks definite," Sunil Gavaskar said on Star Sports. 

"It is really difficult to drop him. And dropping him for whom? Tilak Varma is a proven performer at this level. Sanju Samson is also a proven performer, but he is not in form. It has got nothing to do with his ability,” he added. 

“In a tournament like the World Cup, you can't take chances. This is the reason I think that after giving him five matches - I think his highest score is 24 - and he has got out in odd manners, he is definitely short on confidence. Unless Tilak Varma is not fit, I don't see him (Samson) being part of the XI on February 7 (vs USA in the T20 World Cup)," Gavaskar concluded.

It’s important to note that Ishan Kishan ended the five-match T20I series with 215 runs from four innings at an average of 53.75 and a strike rate of 231.18, emerging as the second-leading run-scorer of the five-match series. He was awarded the player of the match in the final T20I for his maiden T20I century.

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