Former Indian captain Sunil Gavaskar gave a blunt assessment of Sanju Samson After the latter’s dismissal in the fourth T20I against New Zealand at the Visakhapatnam ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium. Samson’s struggles continued as he managed just 24 runs, raising fresh questions about his place in India’s plans. ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
India suffered a comprehensive defeat in the contest, with Gavaskar citing Samson’s leg failure as a recurring technical fault, which again cost him his wicket.
Samson looked fluent early in the innings, hitting 24 off 15 deliveries before being dismissed by the New Zealand captain. Mitchell Santner. However, Gavaskar was not impressed with the manner of his dismissal, highlighting the complete lack of footwork.
“My first impression is that there was no footwork. He was just standing there and making space and playing offside.” Gavaskar said while commenting. “There was almost no leg movement. It’s about going outside the leg stump, exposing all three stumps and when you miss, the bowler will strike.”
Gavaskar added that this was not an isolated incident, pointing out that Samson had fallen in a similar manner before, making his dismissal all the more upsetting.
Samson’s form is examined during the selection debate
The keeper-turned-fielder’s recent turns have done little to bolster his case. Samson has scored just 40 runs in his last four T20I innings, a concerning statistic at a time when the competition for batting spots is fierce.
with Ishan Kishi 3rd in a row, Samson’s place in the T20 World Cup squad is now under serious scrutiny. The team management showed patience but repeated technical glitches kept the focus firmly on the Kerala match.
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New Zealand batsmen dominate the high-scoring encounter in Visakhapatnam
Early in the match, New Zealand laid a strong foundation after electing to bat. It starts with an explosive Tim Seifert and Devon Conway the pair set the tone by adding 100 runs in 8.2 overs.
Seifert hit 62 off 36 balls while Conway hit a quick 44 off 23. Although India pulled back in the middle innings with disciplined spells from Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav, the damage was already done.
As India pulls everything back, Daryl Mitchell provided the finishing touches with a strong 39 off 18 balls. His late onslaught took New Zealand to 215 for seven and put immense pressure on India’s chase.
In reply, India flashed promise but never really threatened the target. Shivam Dubey he played a sensational cameo, scoring 65 off just 23 balls Rinku Singh Fixed 39 off 30 delivery contribution.
However, the lack of support from the top brass, including Samson, proved costly. India were eventually bowled out for 165 in 18.4 overs and conceded a 50-run defeat.
