Team India opener Sanju Samson had a disappointing outing in the T20I series opener against New Zealand on Wednesday, January 21. The Black Caps won the toss and elected to field first at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium in Nagpur.
The Indian team got off to a rocky start, with Samson departing in the second over of the match. The right-handed batsman managed to hit two boundaries off Kyle Jamieson earlier in the over but ultimately fell victim to the Kiwi fast bowler. Jamieson bowled a good length delivery on the stumps, and Samson attempted a flick shot only to find Rachin Ravindra at midwicket.
Samson could only muster 10 runs from seven balls during his brief stay at the crease. His recent statistics have been less than impressive, as he has scored just 222 runs in 15 T20Is at an average of 20.18 in 2025.
Following Samson’s dismissal, social media was abuzz with reactions from fans. Some expressed disappointment in his performance, while others highlighted the need for consistency in his game.
It’s worth noting that Samson was chosen over Shubman Gill by the Indian selectors for the New Zealand T20I series and the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup. Despite playing just one match in the previous series against South Africa, where he scored 37 runs off 22 balls, Samson has been given another opportunity to prove his worth.
India faced further setbacks in the match as Ishan Kishan also fell early during the powerplay after Samson’s dismissal. Kishan, who came in at No. 3, failed to make a significant impact with the bat and was dismissed for eight runs off five deliveries by Jacob Duffy.
The Indian team found themselves at 68/2 in six overs, with Abhishek Sharma (31 off 15) and skipper Suryakumar Yadav (16 off 9) at the crease trying to stabilize the innings.
As the match unfolded, it became evident that India needed a solid partnership to post a competitive total against New Zealand. Fans will be hoping for a better performance from the Indian batsmen in the upcoming matches to turn the tide in their favor.
Overall, it was a challenging start for Team India in the T20I series opener, with the early dismissals of Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan putting pressure on the middle order. The team will need to regroup and come back stronger in the remaining matches to clinch the series victory.
