IND vs NZ 2026: 'He needs support right now' - India legend wants BCCI to persist with Sanju Samson

Former Indian cricketer Mohammad Kaif has opined that Sanju Samson should be played in the remainder of the T20I series against New Zealand before arriving at a decision regarding his participation in the XI. Samson has scored only 16 runs in the three matches against the Kiwis so far, which also includes a golden duck during the third T20I. 

Kaif noted the prevailing view of preferring Ishan Kishan over Samson, noting that it will only be fair if Samson is supported by fans and media and given a couple of opportunities before making a final verdict. 

“Even though Ishan Kishan is back, people are saying, let’s give him the chance, drop Sanju Samson, and bring Ishan. All these things are happening, but I think at least give him two more matches before making a final decision. After that, you can do whatever you want. Sanju is a very classy player, and he needs support right now. Every player cannot score all the time, so he should get support at this stage,” shared Kaif in a video on his YouTube channel.

The former India batter also felt Samson deserved a fair run, especially considering India's unassailable lead in the series serving as a cushion for the wicketkeeper-batter to potentially express himself better with the bat. The cricketer-turned-commentator feels that in an environment where the expectations are low, the Kerala stumper-batter may be able to impress with his performances. 

“I feel he deserves the opportunity. He hasn’t gotten a consistent chance, sometimes he played, sometimes he was dropped. When a batter doesn’t get regular batting opportunities, he can get a little nervous. Give him these two games and if he remains out of form, he himself would probably say, don’t play me. I think at least give him five consecutive innings. You are already winning, you have won three matches, there is no pressure," Kaif concluded.

‘He keeps getting out cheaply’ - Ex-India opener on Samson

Also Read

‘He keeps getting out cheaply’ - Ex-India opener on Samson

Coming into the fourth match of the series, India have already taken a 3-0 lead by winning all the contests so far. The rest of the members in the batting lineup have contributed significantly. If at all, Samson gets picked in the XI for the fourth and fifth T20Is, there will be a lot of expectations from him to fire with substantial scores.

The fourth T20I is scheduled to be played in Visakhapatnam on January 28, while the last match of the series will be played a couple of days later before the teams move their focus to the T20 World Cup 2026, starting February 7 across India and Sri Lanka. Getting runs in the next couple of T20Is will help Samson gain confidence heading into the global tournament.