‘Has no option but to stay quiet’: Star India cricketer reflects on Sanju Samson’s batting position, calls him ‘most…’

Star India cricketer and ex-chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth believes Sanju Samson is the most unlucky player in the current Indian squad.

New Delhi: Star India cricketer and ex-chairman of selectors Kris Srikkanth believes Sanju Samson is the unluckiest player in the current Indian squad. Known for his candid opinions, Srikkanth voiced his frustration over Samson’s constant shuffling in the batting order, stating that it has disrupted the wicketkeeper-batter’s rhythm and confidence.

Despite being one of India’s most consistent performers in recent months, Sanju Samson has struggled to find stability in the T20I setup. Following Shubman Gill’s comeback in the T20I side, the Kerala batter who had excelled as an opener alongside Abhishek Sharma has been frequently shifted around the batting order. During India’s triumphant Asia Cup 2025 campaign.

Srikkanth expressed disappointment over the constant reshuffling

Samson came into bat at No. 5 three times, No. 3 once, and even as low as No. 8 against Bangladesh. Speaking on his new YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth expressed disappointment over the constant reshuffling, saying that the relentless experimentation has made one of India’s most dynamic batters unsettled.

“The guy who’s most unlucky is Sanju Samson. He was scoring centuries as an opener. But now they send him everywhere from 3 to 8,” Srikkanth said. “If given an opportunity, they may send him at 11 also. So a person like Sanju will definitely feel bad, having done so well at the top. But he has no option but to stay quiet and bat wherever the team asks him to.”

Despite the uncertainties surrounding Samson’s batting status, Srikkanth stated that there are some positives for him.

“The only good thing is he did well at No. 5 in the Asia Cup. It’s a good sign for him because now Sanju is the automatic choice as the first wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup. He is sure to bat at No. 5,” he added

Samson had established himself as an important player under SKY

Samson had established himself as an important player under skipper Suryakumar Yadav, as he smashed three centuries in just 12 innings and scored 417 runs at an impressive strike rate of 183.70 with an average of 37.90. His explosive starts alongside Abhishek Sharma made them one of India’s most successful opening pairs in T20Is.

However, after a lean patch against England earlier this year and Shubman Gill’s return as vice-captain following a stellar Test season, Samson was moved down the batting order to accommodate the new opening combination.