'Sanju Samson doesn't help his own cause' - Sanjay Manjrekar after opener's poor show in 1st T20I vs Afghanistan

Samson Under Fire: Manjrekar Says Opener "Doesn't Help His Own Cause"

Sanju Samson's T20I struggles got more serious after his duck-ish 10 (8) in the 1st T20I vs Afghanistan in Delhi on Sep 13. India still chased down 157 comfortably—won by 7 wkts with 38 balls in the tank—but the spotlight landed squarely on the opener.

Manjrekar didn't mince words on air: "Sanju Samson doesn't help his own cause; he's pretty inconsistent." And the numbers back him up. Samson's last four T20I innings read like a rollercoaster—27, 1, 0, 5. That kind of volatility at the top is a red flag when you've got real competition for the slot.

Here's the thing though—India's chase was carried by a monstrous middle-order explosion. Abhishek Sharma (POM) smashed 82 off 32, with Ishan Kishan adding a solid 42 (33). That 121-run stand for the 2nd wick in just 53 balls completely killed the game off. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh ran out the bowling attack with 3/19 in 4 overs, choking Afghanistan in the death overs. Afghanistan had looked dangerous with Omarzai's quickfire 64 (44) and Nabi's 33, but India's reply told the real story.

What it means: With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting on the bench, Samson's clock is ticking. Every low score just adds pressure. The 2nd T20I is tmr (Sep 15)—his chance to answer the critics, or at least quiet them down.

My take? When your middle order can detonate like that, the opening job becomes a pressure cooker. Samson's talent is undeniable, but inconsistency at the top is a luxury India can't afford long-term. Watch how he responds tmr.

What do you think—should Samson keep the opening job or hand it to Sooryavanshi? Drop your predictions below.

Source: Crictracker