Former Indian wicket-keeper Dinesh Karthik has urged team management to keep backing Sanju Samson amid his lean form. Karthik reckons Vaibhav needs to earn the right to play in playing XI and he is confident that the youngster would do well whenever he gets his chance.
Karthik recalled that Samson did a fantastic job for India in T20 World Cup, scoring 321 runs in five matches of the tournament. Furthermore, Samson had a decent run in IPL 2026, scoring 477 runs in 14 matches for Chennai Super Kings.
However, Samson returned with scores of 5 and 0 on the Ireland tour and was dismissed after scoring one run off seven balls in the first T20I against England at Riverside Ground, Chester-le-Street on Wednesday.
“Sanju Samson has, once again, had a bit of a failure. Now three innings on the bounce means the calls are coming nice and loud for Vaibhav Suryavanshi, but I would still say, Sanju Samson, player of the tournament in the World Cup, he is under pressure,” Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz.
“I know the whole cricketing world is going to be like, ‘Vaibhav Suryavanshi, when is he going to get in?’ That is understandable, but I still hope they back someone like Sanju Samson, because, under pressure, in the World Cup, a few months ago, he got the job done, so we have to back him. Vaibhav needs to earn the right to play in this XI even though he is extremely talented, and I have no doubt he is going to do very well in international cricket,” he added.
Meanwhile, Sooryavanshi scored 776 runs in 16 matches of IPL 2026 at a blistering strike rate of 237.30.
On the other hand, Tilak Varma was dismissed after scoring a run-a-ball 13 in the series opener against England and Karthik reckons the pressure is building on the team’s vice-captain.
“Maybe Tilak Varma will feel the heat a little bit, just got a run-a-ball knock again. As a middle order batter sometimes in England it can be very challenging and he felt it. He did not get the boundaries away,” Dinesh Karthik concluded.
The second T20I between India and England will be played at Old Trafford, Manchester, on Saturday.
