“It is important to tell the player to take a break” - Ravi Ashwin opens up on Sanju Samson’s form

Former Indian spinner and analyst Ravi Ashwin has opened up on the opening batter Sanju Samson’s poor batting form in the ongoing five-match T20I series against New Zealand ahead of the much-awaited ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin asserted that it’s important to tell the player, who is out of form for a brief period, to take a break and reflect in order to make a strong come back as a better player.

"If you are not a good player, you cannot reach here. When your mind is clouded with a lot of thoughts, it gets tough to pick the lengths and lines. I am very certain things are going on in his mind. We cannot make a slot for a player. It is not about running with a player and banking on it. It is also important to tell the player to take a break. Sometimes sitting outside and reflecting can make you a better player. I don't agree that he should go back to the middle order. You cannot make a slot for a player, then everybody else will also rotate around it," Ravi Ashwin said on 'Ash ki Baat' YouTube channel.

Notably, Ishan Kishan has been selected as the back-up keeper-batter for Sanju Samson for the mega event. With Kishan performing comparatively well, Samson has been under extreme pressure of late.

"They are bowling on the middle and leg to Sanju because he does not have a back and across movement. It is really getting to a point that it is pushing players. He has been pushed to a place where he has to show the bowlers something else. He is trying to do something because he is uncomfortable with the plan being dealt out to him. He has been pushed to a corner but he is willing to try. He is trying to respond. Maybe you will not get the result immediately. This might take time, but he is at least thinking to put pressure on the bowlers. That is a good sign. But he is going on a fine line and there is pressure with Ishan sitting in the dugout," he added.

India squad for T20 WC: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Ishan Kishan, Hardik Pandya, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Rinku Singh.

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