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Sanju Samson should open with Abhishek Sharma in all five T20Is in New Zealand, says Subramaniam Badrinath

Former India batsman Subramaniam Badrinath has urged that Sanju Samson remain India’s opening partner with Abhishek Sharma for all five T20 internationals in New Zealand, which start on 22 October. He highlighted Samson’s two scores in the five‑match West Indies series and argued that a continuous run would let the pair prove their merit before any switch to Vaibhav Suryavanshi.

Badrinath noted Samson’s Player of the Tournament award at the 2026 T20 World Cup and his two centuries that helped India win the title, reinforcing his view that the duo should stay together rather than rotating options. All three – Samson, Sharma and Suryavanshi – are in the squad for the New Zealand tour, but the former’s stance is to give Samson and Sharma an extended opportunity to cement the opening slot.

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