Lucknow: Sanju Samson‘s latest failure against the West Indies has reignited questions over his place in India’s T20I opening combination, with former India batter Hanuma Vihari suggesting that pressure over competition for his spot could be affecting the wicketkeeper-batter.
Samson scored only 11 runs off nine balls in the first T20I against the West Indies in Lucknow on October 7. India nevertheless chased down the 172-run target in just 14.4 overs, winning by eight wickets after captain Shreyas Iyer smashed an unbeaten 102 off 43 balls.
Vihari, who is currently out of India’s international setup, believes Samson’s repeated failures when competition for his place intensifies are a concern. He specifically pointed to the emergence of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is waiting for an opportunity in India’s T20I playing XI.
Vihari says Samson is feeling the pressure
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Vihari said Samson’s latest failure raises a significant question about how long the team can continue backing him without a substantial return.
The former India batter also stressed that he remains a fan of Samson and wants him to succeed, but believes the competition for his place could be weighing on the Kerala batter.
Vihari said Samson appears to struggle when he feels that another player is waiting to replace him. He cited the earlier competition involving Ishan Kishan and the current situation involving Sooryavanshi as examples.
According to Vihari, pressure has played a major role in Samson’s recent struggles.
He suggested that Samson needs to learn how to perform even when his place in the team feels uncertain, particularly because representing India naturally brings considerable pressure.
Another failure adds to Samson’s concerns
Samson’s dismissal in Lucknow came at an unfortunate time, with India’s T20I opening combination already under scrutiny.
The wicketkeeper-batter was promoted to open alongside Abhishek Sharma, while 15-year-old Sooryavanshi remained on the sidelines.
Samson had already endured difficult outings during India’s recent assignments. Vihari pointed to his performances in the one-off T20I against Japan and the Asian Games, where India won the men’s cricket gold medal.
The latest 11-run dismissal therefore extended a run that has once again placed his position under discussion.
The timing is particularly significant because Samson enjoyed an extraordinary run during the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he emerged as one of India’s key performers and was named Player of the Tournament.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting for opportunity
The emergence of Sooryavanshi has added another layer to India’s selection debate.
The 15-year-old batter has attracted enormous attention with his performances and has already made his T20I debut for India. His presence means the competition for opening positions is no longer limited to established international players.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir recently explained that Sooryavanshi may have to wait for opportunities because Samson and Abhishek have established themselves as the team’s preferred opening combination over an extended period.
Gambhir said the team could not suddenly abandon a combination that had produced a significant impact simply because of a few failures. He also stressed that selection should not be driven by social media pressure.
That approach has so far kept Samson and Abhishek ahead of Sooryavanshi in the pecking order.
Samson has previously spoken about outside pressure
The issue of pressure is not entirely new for Samson.
After scoring a 57 off 22 balls against Afghanistan in September, Samson openly acknowledged that outside noise can affect cricketers.
He admitted that comments from former players and social media sometimes reach him despite his attempts to ignore them. Samson said he was not a machine and that outside criticism could affect him, but stressed that players need to maintain clarity of mind.
His comments provide some context to Vihari’s latest assessment.
The former India batter’s argument is not necessarily that Samson lacks ability. Instead, he believes the uncertainty surrounding his place may be preventing him from playing with the freedom that has produced some of his best performances.
A contrasting record shows Samson’s ability
Samson’s recent struggles need to be viewed alongside his remarkable 2026 T20 World Cup campaign.
He was initially left out of India’s playing XI during the tournament but later produced three outstanding innings in the knockout stages.
He scored an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies, followed by 89 against England in the semi-final and another 89 against New Zealand in the final.
Across five innings, Samson accumulated 321 runs at a strike rate of 199.37 and was named Player of the Tournament as India won the T20 World Cup.
That record explains why the team management has continued to show faith in him despite subsequent failures.
Shreyas Iyer rescues India after early wickets
While Samson’s dismissal became a talking point, India’s first T20I against the West Indies ultimately belonged to Shreyas Iyer.
India lost both Samson and Abhishek Sharma early in the chase, but Iyer took control of the innings after initially taking time to settle.
He finished unbeaten on 102 from 43 deliveries, striking at more than 237 and hitting 10 fours and six sixes. Ishan Kishan supported him with an unbeaten 37 as India reached 172/2 in 14.4 overs.
Vihari praised Iyer’s ability to take control of the chase despite India losing wickets early.
Samson faces another opportunity in Ranchi
India’s second T20I against the West Indies is scheduled for October 9 in Ranchi, giving Samson an immediate opportunity to answer his critics.
With Sooryavanshi waiting for his chance, the pressure on Samson is likely to remain a talking point throughout the series.
The situation also presents a test for India’s team management. Gambhir has repeatedly emphasised the importance of continuity, while former players have warned against creating an environment in which players become overly concerned about losing their places.
For Samson, the solution may ultimately be the simplest one: convert his opportunities into runs.
His record shows that he possesses the ability to dominate at international level. His performances in the 2026 T20 World Cup demonstrated exactly that. But with a talented teenager waiting in the wings and India’s management carefully monitoring the opening combination, Samson will need to rediscover that consistency quickly.
Vihari’s comments have therefore added another dimension to the debate: whether Samson’s biggest challenge is technical or simply the ability to handle the pressure created by competition for his place.