The axe is hovering—but should it fall? As India prepares for the decisive final T20I against New Zealand, all eyes are on Sanju Samson, whose recent scores of 12 and 8 have sparked a fierce debate: Should he be replaced by Ishan Kishan? Now, former World Cup winner Irfan Pathan has stepped into the fray with a passionate defense of Samson—and a sharp warning against knee-jerk decisions.
“If team management replaces Sanju with Ishan just because of two low scores, they’re making a huge mistake,” Pathan declared, cutting through the noise with a message that resonates far beyond this single series. His comments come at a critical juncture for Indian cricket, as selectors grapple with balancing immediate results and long-term vision ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026.
Once hailed as the future of India’s white-ball keeping, Sanju Samson now finds himself under intense scrutiny. Despite being one of the most technically gifted batters in the squad—capable of dismantling attacks with sublime cover drives and effortless sixes—his international returns have been inconsistent.
In his last 10 T20I innings, he’s averaged just 21.30. While his strike rate remains healthy (138+), the lack of big scores in high-leverage games has fueled criticism. Social media is ablaze with calls to “drop him,” and whispers of Ishan Kishan’s return have grown louder. But is form the only factor?
Irfan Pathan’s intervention isn’t just about loyalty—it’s about logic. “Sanju has match-winning ability,” he stressed. “But you can’t expect him to deliver if you keep changing his role.”
His key point? Batting order instability. Samson has batted at No. 3, 4, and even 5 in recent series, never given a fixed identity. In T20 cricket, where roles are defined within seconds of arrival at the crease, this ambiguity is crippling. “Give him No. 4. Let him build an innings. Then judge him,” Pathan urged.
This aligns with modern coaching philosophy, which emphasizes role clarity. As noted by the ICC’s High-Performance Guidelines, “Player performance improves by 30% when role expectations are consistent across matches.”
Let’s address the elephant in the room: Ishan Kishan is undeniably talented. His fearless approach and explosive power make him a fan favorite. But his international record tells a more nuanced story:
Replacing Samson with Kishan isn’t a guaranteed upgrade—it’s a lateral move with its own risks. And as Pathan implied, swapping one out-of-form player for another who’s been out of the system for over a year isn’t strategy; it’s reactivity.
Interestingly, Pathan didn’t just defend Samson—he spotlighted Tilak Varma as a crucial piece of India’s puzzle. “People talk about keepers, but Tilak brings something rare: temperament,” he said.
Varma’s 55* off 37 balls in the second T20I wasn’t just runs—it was composure under pressure. In a lineup stacked with aggressors like Suryakumar Yadav and Rinku Singh, Varma’s ability to rotate strike and anchor the middle overs provides essential balance. For fantasy players and analysts alike, understanding his value is key—see our guide on [INTERNAL_LINK:fantasy-cricket-picks-india-vs-new-zealand].
The Sanju Samson vs Ishan Kishan debate often misses the forest for the trees. The real issue isn’t who keeps—but how India structures its batting.
Teams like England and Australia assign fixed roles: openers attack, No. 3 anchors, No. 4 accelerates. India’s constant shuffling—moving Samson, Jaiswal, or Gill up and down—creates confusion. Pathan’s call for stability isn’t just about Samson; it’s about building a system that breeds confidence, not anxiety.
Irfan Pathan’s message is clear: don’t let two quiet games erase years of proven talent. Sanju Samson deserves a fair chance—not just to bat, but to bat in a role he understands. Rushing to bring in Ishan Kishan may satisfy impatient fans, but it won’t solve the deeper issue of role clarity.
As India eyes T20 World Cup glory, the lesson is simple: great teams aren’t built on panic. They’re built on trust, structure, and the courage to back your players through the troughs—not just the peaks.
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