Former Indian Test batter Cheteshwar Pujara reckons Sanju Samson should give strike to his opening partner Abhishek Sharma when he is up against England’s gun fast bowler Jofra Archer. Pujara said Samson’s best option will be to play Archer’s short delivery to the off-side.
Samson had scored a majestic knock of 97 runs off just 50 balls against the West Indies in the virtual quarterfinal and he is going to hold the key. Meanwhile, Samson was targeted with short balls in the five-match series against England in 2025 when he could only manage 51 runs in five games.
“I think Jofra will continue doing that. We have seen throughout this World Cup that the majority of his dismissals, which came against right-handers, were from the back of the length, which is around eight meters or even shorter than that,” Pujara said on Star Sports.
“What will Sanju have to do? Normally, he was standing on the leg stump, but against Jofra, how do you score runs? One is to create a little more room and try to go outside the leg stump when he is about to deliver, and try to play on the off side. The best option for Sanju is initially just try to rotate the strike. Give as many deliveries as possible to Abhishek. He will try to take on Jofra Archer,” he added.
Pujara highlighted that most of Archer’s deliveries go away from the left-hander and it would suit Abhishek’s strengths.
“For someone like Abhishek, if you look at his boundary options, anything that is outside the off stump, he is so strong, and his strike rate is very good. What is Jofra Archer’s strength? Whenever he is releasing the ball, most of his deliveries go away from the left-hander,” he replied.
The former number three batter said Abhishek will look to make room to hit Archer on the off-side.
“That’s why Abhishek has been very successful against Jofra Archer in the past, and I still believe that even at Wankhede, he will look to give a little bit of room, try to go over point and cover, and try to score as many runs as possible on the off side,” Pujara observed.
India will take on England in the second semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Thursday.
