Sanju Samson has come under the scanner for his underwhelming performance in the ongoing India’s tour of the United Kingdom. While the wicketkeeper-batter registered scores of 5 and 0 against Ireland, he managed just 1 run in the first game of the five-T20I series against England in Chester-le-Street.
This dip in form has intensified demands from fans and analysts to debut young prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who was rewarded with a place in India’s T20I squad following a record-breaking IPL 2026 season.
Ahead of the second T20I in Manchester, however, former India cricketer Wasim Jaffer has thrown his weight behind Samson, saying that he would give the right-handed opener one more chance before considering a change.
“I wouldn't play him (Vaibhav Sooryavanshi). I would give Sanju one more chance. If Sanju Samson doesn't do well in this game, then I will think about the third T20I,” Jaffer said while speaking on his YouTube channel.
While acknowledging 15-year-old Sooryavanshi’s incredible 776-run IPL 2026 campaign, Jaffer emphasized that Samson has earned an extended rope due to his heroics at the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup, where he was named the Player of the Tournament.
“In an ideal world, I think it would be a little difficult. But Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's performances in recent times have put so much pressure on the Indian batters that you want someone to be left out so that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi can be included. But in an ideal world, it is very difficult because of the kind of performances Sanju Samson has delivered in the World Cup. Don't forget that he scored three consecutive big scores in the quarter-final, semi-final, and final. Yes, he was the Man of the Tournament,” Jaffer added.
Wasim Jaffer noted that in an ideal world, he wouldn't rush a teenager but the sheer weight of Sooryavanshi’s performances makes him impossible to ignore.
“So, if you look at it in an ideal world, you wouldn't even think about this. But because of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's recent performances, it feels like even if someone has just one or two dismissals or one or two failures, people want that player to be dropped and Vaibhav to be brought in. So, Vaibhav is actually creating this pressure because of his performances in the IPL and the way he has played recently. So, I think somewhere the captain, selectors, and coach will definitely feel the pressure that he should be played,” Jaffer remarked.
