India’s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has thrown his weight behind struggling batsman Sanju Samson ahead of the fifth T20I against New Zealand in his native Thiruvananthapuram. Samson has been in poor form in the last few innings and endured another stunning outing in the fourth T20I in Visakhapatnam.
Samson was again unable to assert himself more significantlyhe scored 24 before being bowled by Mitchell Santner as India lost the match by 50 runs. It marked another disappointment for the batsman, whose continued poor run has tightened the grip on his place in India’s T20 plans.
Despite his prolonged lack of form, Sitanshu Kotak believes there is no reason to worry about Samson as the team management has full confidence in his abilities.
“Sanju is Sanju. Okay, he probably didn’t give as many runs as everyone would have liked, but that’s part of the game. Sometimes you have five innings in a row when you score hard and sometimes you don’t. So it all depends on the individual and how he keeps his mind strong, and of course it’s our job to keep him in good spirits and make sure we all know what Sanju is capable of, so hard.” what more can be said about Sanju because he was really good,” Kotak said at the pre-match press conference.
How has Samson done since 2025?
In his last five T20I innings, Samson’s highest score remains 37who started against South Africa in December last year. He managed just 40 runs in four innings in the ongoing series in New Zealand, while Kishan continued to impress at No.3.
From 2025, Samson’s returns as a T20I opener are a cause for concern. He scored just 128 runs from ten innings at an average of 12.8, with a top score of 37, and bowled the power play only twice during that period. With Kishan flourishing and Tilak Varma expected to return to full fitness, Samson finds himself walking a tightrope ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup.
With only limited opportunities in hand, Samson will need to prepare a quick turnaround or risk spending another World Cup campaign on the bench.
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Issued by:
Rishabh Beniwal
Published on:
January 30, 2026