“This could be the most important match of Sanju Samson’s life.”

Former India pacer Aakash Chopra highlighted the importance of the third T20I against New Zealand for Sanju Samson. He noted that Tilak Varma may return to the side in the fourth T20I, meaning only one of Samson and Ishan Kishan can play that game.

The third T20I match between India and New Zealand will be played in Guwahati on Sunday, January 25. The Men in Blue hold a 2-0 lead and could wrap up the five-game series with a win on Sunday.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, ‘Aakash Chopra’, the former India opener opined that the Guwahati T20I match was likely to be the most important match of Samson’s career.

“This could be the most important match of Sanju Samson’s life. I am saying that since this is the third match, Tilak Varma may be available after this match and you may see him playing the match on the 28th. Then only one of Ishan Kishan and Sanju will play,” he said. (6:20)

Chopra noted that Kishan moved ahead of Samson in the race for the wicket-keeper-batsman’s position with a powerful knock in the second T20I in Raipur.

He noted, “Who will be that player? In the first two matches, both were bowled out in the first match. Ishan Kishan scored 76 runs off 32 balls in the second match, and now he is leading in this race.”

Sanju Samson has compiled just 16 runs in the first two T20Is against New Zealand. Although Ishan Kishan managed just eight runs in the series opener in Nagpur, he smashed a 32-ball 76 in the chase of 209 runs in the second match.

“I wonder what we did with Sanju Samson” – Aakash Chopra

In the same video, Akash Chopra questioned whether Sanju Samson was treated fairly.

“I wonder what we did with Sanju Samson. When you first made him open, you said you would give him seven overs. Sanju went and scored a triple hundred, and was the toast of the nation. However, after that, there was a series against England, where he did not score a single run and was similarly bowled out in all five innings,” he said. (6:45)

The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Samson lost his place in the opener to Shubman Gill due to an indifferent single series.

“Then, he had an average form in the Indian Premier League because he was injured. Then India had already turned around when the next T20 event happened. They changed the philosophy because of that bad series, that they did not need the striker Sanju, but Shubman Gill as a steady anchor,” Chopra observed.

Chopra added that the IRC returned to Samsun as a keeper-opener when they decided that Gill was not wanted.

“They made Gill the vice-captain, but they didn’t drop Sanju because they might have had a little guilt too because Sanju had done so badly. Then he was made to bat in different positions. Then you went around again and said you will make Sanju the main keeper as we don’t need Shubman Gill.”

In conclusion, Aakash Chopra wondered if Sanju Samson’s indifferent performance in the five-match series against England last year had come back to haunt him. He pointed out that there might not have been a draw between Samson and Ishan Kishan had the Kerala wicketkeeper-batsman not been replaced by Shubman Gill at the top of the order.