Sanju Samson's debut as India opener and keeper in 9 years in Bangladesh T20Is: Is this his last chance?

The answers to these questions will be revealed in the upcoming week as India faces off against Bangladesh in three Twenty20 Internationals. While these matches may seem inconsequential sandwiched between two Test series and lacking broader context, they hold significant importance for the players involved. The players will be giving it their all in these skirmishes, both for pride and financial gain.

Suryakumar Yadav has been tasked with leading India forward in the 20-over format following the retirement in June, minutes after piloting the side to the T20 World Cup crown in Bridgetown, of Rohit Sharma. Suryakumar’s maiden outing as captain in his own right was an unqualified success when India routed Sri Lanka 3-0 in Pallekele in July. The next T20 World Cup isn’t until 2026 and India have enough time to build a crack outfit designed to mount a stirring defence of the title on home soil. Whether Samson will continue to remain in these plans will become a lot clearer after the dust settles on the Bangladesh series.

India’s selectors have named just one specialist opening batter in the 15-strong party, the left-handed Abhishek Sharma, who was spectacular for Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2024 and who already has a T20I century to his name. It is expected that his partner at the top of the tree will be the 29-year-old Samson, who has reprised that role in the past for Rajasthan Royals though in the last couple of seasons, the skipper has dropped down the order to allow Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler to do their thing.

Samson’s is a tale of a promise less realised, a career less fulfilled at the highest level. He does have a terrific One-Day International record, but in the 20-over game, he has been a huge letdown. It can’t be denied that he hasn’t always got a steady run to translate his domestic/franchise returns to the highest level, but Samson is too accomplished and too mature to point to that as the reason for only 30 T20I games in the eight years since his first appearance for India in 2015.

What’s done is done, and no amount of reiteration that he hasn’t grabbed his chances will serve any purpose. The fact of the matter is that the Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel and the new T20I leadership group of Suryakumar and Gautam Gambhir still believe that despite his anemic returns for India thus far, Samson is perhaps one series away from turning the corner. They will be hoping it is this series. Sri Lanka was personally disappointing for Samson even as India found ways and means to snatch victory from the gaping jaws of defeat. Both his appearances in Pallekele failed to produce even a solitary run, the second duck particularly disappointing because he shed the percentages and chose a big hit early in his innings after being kept scoreless for his first three deliveries.

Shot selection has been one of Samson’s biggest bugbears in international cricket. But perhaps now that he is likely to be asked to open the batting for potentially three straight games, he can afford to be a little more careful, if not circumspect, at the start. The openers’ position is the most coveted in the 20-over variety because in theory, one could get to face close to 50% of the total 120 deliveries on offer. Sixty balls is a lot of time to make a statement, and that’s precisely what India will be hoping for, perhaps even more than Samson himself.

In terms of when he first played for the country, Samson is the seniormost member of this 15-man squad. He has been a captain and leader of his franchise for several years now, has all the shots in the book, possesses that little extra fraction of a second that allows him to see the ball early and play it late. There are few chinks in his armour batting-wise. Perhaps a little mental reset is all that is required to shed a disappointing international lean trot that must be overturned quickly.

Samson is a touch fortunate that the continued overlooking of Ishan Kishan for reasons that extend beyond cricket has worked in his favour. He can’t afford to keep on looking a gift horse in the mouth. For all their competitiveness, Bangladesh offer a great chance for Samson to lay down the marker. Whether he does so is entirely up to him.