Cheteshwar Pujara Backs Sanju Samson, Calls T20 Consistency Overrated

Former India player Cheteshwar Pujara says the idea of top-order batters being consistent in T20 cricket is overrated while backing Sanju Samson after the West Indies tour. Samson scored 168 runs in five innings against West Indies, making him India's second-highest run-scorer and fourth overall in the five-match T20 series behind captain Shreyas Iyer.

Form And Future Matches

Pujara stated on JioHotstar's 'Out or Not Out' that Samson is never out of form because his fluctuating returns can change with just one good innings. Following a 2-2 series stalemate with West Indies where the fifth game was washed out after India's innings, the team travels to New Zealand for an all-format tour starting Thursday with T20 matches.

Playing XI Choices

Pujara noted that it is difficult to fit both Samson and teenage star Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the playing XI together for the New Zealand matches. He explained that New Zealand conditions require more spin or seaming all-rounders rather than extra top-order batters, meaning Sooryavanshi will likely have to wait for opportunities.

Reactions And Scrutiny

Mumbai cricket stalwart Abhishek Nayar also spoke on the matter, stating he understands why Samson faces constant questions about his place in the team. Nayar pointed out that Samson plays with everyone's emotions by failing to score for two matches before sparking fresh debates.

Context

Cricket teams frequently debate the balance between specialist batters and all-rounders when traveling to overseas conditions like those in New Zealand. Top-order players in the shortest format of the game often experience high variance in their scores due to the aggressive nature of T20 cricket.