IND vs NZ: Fans are in a frenzy after Sanju Samson disappointed the home crowd at the Greenfield International Stadium as the flop show continued in the 5th T20I.

Heartwarming turn of events at Greenfield International Stadium, hometown hero Sanju Samson He failed to capitalize on the golden opportunity, leaving the Thiruvananthapuram crowd in stunned silence During the 5th T20I against New Zealand.

Although electric ‘Sanju-mania’ swept the stands, the goalkeeper-turned-outfielder’s struggle at the top of the standings reached a breaking point in his final auditions. T20 World Cup 2026. When opening the partner Abhishek Sharma Having signaled his intention with a six in the first game, Samson looked visibly overwhelmed by the huge pressure of expectations and eventually fell to a paltry score that put his place in the national team under intense scrutiny.

IND vs NZ: Lockie Ferguson silences Trivandrum as Sanju Samson goes for 6

The stage was set perfectly for Samson to silence his critics at home, but the fairytale turnaround quickly turned into a nightmare as he was dismissed cheaply in the third game. Faces raw pace Loki FergusonSamson struggled to find his timing despite a boundary earlier. In the 3rd ball of the fifth ball (2.5), Ferguson delivered an inviting full delivery of the driver; Samson reached deep into his crease for a high shot but only managed a thick outside edge.

The ball flew towards deep backward point where it was Bevon Jacobs tracked well and completed a sharp catch. Samson departed for 6-6 ball and left the stadium in a funeral silence. This is particularly damaging given the ‘flop show’ Ishan Kishiwho returns to the XI tonight and Tilak VarmaSet to rejoin the squad on February 3, both are holding their breath for a starting spot at the World Cup. As he made his way back to the dugout, there was a palpable sense of disappointment among the local fans, with the realization that their hero may have played his last international game on home soil for the foreseeable future.

Also READ: IND vs NZ, 5th T20I: Suryakumar Yadav reveals important Tilak Varma update ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

Here’s how the fans reacted:

Meet Sanjuu Samson
– I can’t play spin
– I can’t play fast
-survival only in pr
– contact with the politician

The most rated cricketer in the history of cricket. pic.twitter.com/PfFMjxl7ry

— MARCUS (@MARCUS907935) January 31, 2026

Indeed they replaced shubman gill with this sanju samson. I don’t think anyone has bowled uglier 6-7 deliveries like him. He should not be anywhere near international cricket again. This technique is a shame.

— active (@cirketttt) January 31, 2026

I have been watching cricket since I was 14 years old

I have never seen a bigger fake than Sanju Samson in my life pic.twitter.com/rKkmQWPF7J

— 𝘈𝘭𝘭𝘭 𝘪𝘯𝘪 (@screwgauge77) January 31, 2026

I have never seen a worse corpse in India get so much hype and recognition for doing nothing. It is sad to see regional bias creeping into Indian cricket selections. I mean, anyone with any cricketing sense would think that the all-rounder would be successful in any decent bowling.

— Sandy (@SB_071162) January 31, 2026

Sanju should not be retained in the next Mega Auction if he fails to score 1100 runs in the next 2 seasons. We can’t lose someone like Ayush/Karthik to him. He is very inconsistent for someone with 14 years of IPL experience.

— Abhi⚒️ (@abhi_backup07) January 31, 2026

Gautam Gambhir follows Sanju Samson pic.twitter.com/VKVAMOmYvI

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) January 31, 2026

Sanju Samson if sympathy and PR never existed. pic.twitter.com/rVasKxdCYt

— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) January 31, 2026

Sanju Scam-s-con in his last 16 T20i innings:

26(20), 5(7), 3(6), 1(3), 16(7), 56(45), 13(17), 39(23), 24(21), 2(4), 37(22), 10(7), 6(5), 0(1), 24(15), 6(6)

– 16 Medium,
– 126 SR pic.twitter.com/JeoNq4NSRw

— Vaikon (@vaikon) January 31, 2026

Sanju Samson seems to have taken Gambhir seriously and won’t be out even if he gets zero in 20 matches.

— Akmal Khan (@Destroyedin2021) January 31, 2026

Sanju Samson seems to have taken Gambhir seriously and won’t be out even if he gets zero in 20 matches.

— Akmal Khan (@Destroyedin2021) January 31, 2026

Sanju Samson’s 2026 T20I series vs New Zealand

Samson’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand in January 2026 proved to be a grueling test of character that ultimately put his T20 World Cup aspirations on a tightrope. Tasked with the responsibility of being India’s main opener alongside Abhishek, Samson struggled to find his rhythm from the start, starting the series with 10 in Nagpur and 6 in Raipur. The pressure intensified after an upset golden duck in Guwahati. Matt Henry peach on the first ball of the chase.

While he showed his signature intent with a short 15-ball 24 in Visakhapatnam, his return home in Thiruvananthapuram resulted in a final heartbreak; he managed just 6 runs before falling to Ferguson and finished the series with 46 runs at an average of 9.2. This “consistently inconsistent” run has created a significant selection headache for the team management, as has Ishan Kishi’s prolific form and imminent return. Tilak Varma It is now in doubt whether Samson will retain his place in the starting XI for India’s World Cup opener against the USA on February 3.

Also READ: Rohit Sharma picks ‘key player’ for India in T20 World Cup 2026