Sanju Samson's demotion from opener to middle-order floater in India's T20I setup has sparked debate, with statistics suggesting the move under head coach Gautam Gambhir is stifling a proven powerplay aggressor while accommodating vice-captain Shubman Gill's inconsistent white-ball form. Since Gill's return ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, Samson has batted in five innings across positions 3 to 5, scoring 134 runs at a strike rate of 121.82 and average of 26.80—respectable but below his explosive potential when opening alongside Abhishek Sharma. In contrast, Gill has managed 169 runs in nine innings at the top with a strike rate of 148.25 but a meagre average of 21.13, including just one score above 50.

This shift coincided with India's experimental lineups, notably in the second T20I against Australia on October 31, where promoting Samson to No. 3 ahead of captain Suryakumar Yadav backfired spectacularly—he fell for 2 off 5 balls amid a top-order collapse to 32/4, contributing to a four-wicket defeat.

Samson's prowess in the powerplay is well-documented, particularly in the IPL, where he has evolved into a high-impact opener for Rajasthan Royals. Over the last four seasons (2022–2025), he has scored 521 runs in powerplay innings at a strike rate exceeding 142, peaking at 150.50 in 2022 across 12 knocks. This adaptability aligns with modern T20 demands for early acceleration, complementing left-hander Abhishek's aggression and providing right-left balance.

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Yet, India's insistence on slotting Gill—prized for long-format elegance and leadership grooming—has relegated Samson to middle-overs rebuilding, where spread fields curb his flair for clearing the infield. Critics argue this not only disrupts Samson's rhythm but also wastes specialists like Jitesh Sharma, a proven finisher sidelined despite domestic pedigree.

Gambhir's "fearless cricket" philosophy, emphasising intent and combinations, has yielded mixed results post the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph. While Abhishek's promotion has injected vitality (68 off 32 in Melbourne), the opener conundrum exposes selection rigidity. Samson's pre-Gill stint featured blazing starts, mitigating consistency concerns inherent in high-risk approaches. Numbers indicate restoring him to the top could maximise India's batting firepower, especially on bouncy Australian pitches demanding early momentum.

As the series heads to Sydney for the third T20I on November 2, pressure mounts on management to clarify roles amid calls to either reinstate Samson as opener or bench him outright, avoiding the "fish out of water" scenario that dilutes his destructive edge. This tactical puzzle underscores India's transitional phase, balancing youth investment with optimal resource utilisation in a format unforgiving of misfits.

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