Sanju Samson has never been a consistent player: Irfan Pathan

Former Indian all-rounder and commentator Irfan Pathan has stated that the Indian opening batter Sanju Samson has never been a consistent batter in the shortest format of the game. Notably, his comments came right before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 campaign.

Notably, Samson has been selected as the opening batter with Shubman Gill being axed from the set-up for the five-match T20I series against New Zealand and the mega event. In the first T20I against the BlackCaps, Samson could score only 10 runs off seven balls with two fours.

"Inconsistencies will be there, and a lot will depend on what the team management think about that, and how much patience the fans and pundits have. All of this has an impact on the player as well. Sanju Samson has never been a consistent player. He has been explosive. He will suddenly score a hundred and then the runs will not come, he has been that type of a player. Will all of that change now? I don't think so," Irfan Pathan said in a video on his YouTube channel.

Furthermore, Irfan also asserted that the Indian pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah shouldn’t pick and choose games in the ongoing five-match T20I series, adding that he should be a part of all five games.

"Now there should be no talk of pick and choose or rest. I want to see Jasprit Bumrah in top form going into the World Cup. Every bowler takes a while to hit their level after coming in from a break. It should not happen that he is playing 1-2 games, and then sitting out the next, I don't want to see that happen. He should play all five matches," he added.

In the first T20I, India secured a 48-run win to take a 1-0 lead. Abhishek Sharma was the wrecker-in-chief with an 84-run knock off 35 balls with five fours and eight sixes.

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