For the first time, Afghanistan will host India in an international series. Starting on September 13, the three-match Twenty20 International series will take place at Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium. Afghanistan had recently come to India for one Test and three ODI matches, losing all the games to Men in Blue.
One of the talking points was Sanju Samson’s inclusion in the India squad for this series and for the Asian Games 2026. Samson was dropped from the Zimbabwe T20Is and only played 3 games in Ireland and England. He was replaced by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as opener, and now we see 3 reasons why he might not play a single game against Afghanistan.
Here are the 3 reasons why Sanju Samson might be benched in the AFG vs. IND T20I series:
3. His poor form
Sanju Samson last played for India in the final T20I in England. He had scores of 5, 0, 1, and 27 in the four games he played on the UK tour, and despite two centuries, his form in IPL 2026 for Chennai Super Kings was also iffy. Meanwhile, he has not played any cricket since the England series and has nothing to show for being included in the India XI for the Afghanistan T20Is.
2. Ishan Kishan’s rise
Ishan Kishan has emerged as a better alternative to Sanju Samson, who experiences extreme highs and lows with the bat. Samson hits centuries and fifties and then goes through a low phase. His place as India’s top-order keeper-batter has been challenged by Ishan Kishan. Kishan has shown great consistency with the bat at No. 3 and has shown he can score quickly without taking risks.
1. No place for him in India XI
There is no spot for Sanju Samson in the India XI. He has lost his opening place to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the top-order spot to Ishan Kishan. It has become very difficult to accommodate Samson in India XI with the top five spots fixed with Sooryavanshi, Abhishek, Kishan, Shreyas, and Tilak Varma. The only way he can come into the XI is if someone is injured or Indian management wants to break the left-handed monotony by dropping someone.
