"He has to bat out of position" - Kumar Sangakkara on Sanju Samson's ideal spot in India's batting order
Kumar Sangakkara believes Sanju Samson is ideally suited to bat at No. 4 in T20 cricket. However, he acknowledged that the Kerala player might not get his preferred batting position in India's T20I side.
The Men in Blue will face Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series. with the first game to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Tuesday, January 3. Samson and Ishan Kishan are the two wicketkeeper-batters picked in the 16-member Indian squad for the series.
During an interaction on Sports Tak, Sangakkara was asked about his thoughts on Sanju Samson's best position in India's batting order, to which he responded:
"I think he is ideally suited to No. 4 in T20 cricket, coming in after the first seven overs are done. He can bat anywhere and I think in India when he plays, he has to bat out of position because there are so many jostling for positions."
The Rajasthan Royals head coach feels the franchise's skipper is capable of delivering the goods at whichever number he gets to bat, elaborating:
"So he has got to be ready to bat anywhere and he can. He has got power, he has got the touch, he has got a great temperament, a good head on his shoulders for his batting. So he understands how to navigate difficult situations. So you can slot him in anywhere and he will do well."
Until the T20I World Cup, selectors thought Sanju Samson was better suited for ODIs than T20Is. After the World Cup, they think he is better suited for T20Is than ODIs. Strange! High time they gave him a fair run in both formats.
Samson has batted at No. 4 in seven of the 15 T20I innings he has played. However, he has not enjoyed much success at the position, aggregating 109 runs at an underwhelming average of 15.57 with a best effort of 39.
"One of them I am excited to see is Sanju Samson" - Kumar Sangakkara
Sangakkara was also asked about his thoughts on India's new-look T20I side for the series against Sri Lanka, to which he replied:
"I think India with a new-look side, you have some experience there in (Hardik) Pandya, Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. At the same time, you have a few slightly newer players. One of them I am excited to see is Sanju Samson."
The former Sri Lankan skipper feels Samson has the potential to be a match-winner at the international level, observing:
"Rajasthan Royals captain but more importantly he is just a fabulous player. He has got all the ingredients to be just a powerhouse, a match-winner on the international stage as a batter. He is a great young man and I am really excited to see what he can offer."
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With the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul and Shreyas Iyer missing the T20I series against the Lankan Lions, Samson will likely get a place in the middle order. The stylish right-hander could also open with Ishan Kishan if the team management wants a more explosive option than either Shubman Gill or Ruturaj Gaikwad.