Cricket

Sanju Samson silences critics, puts Vaibhav Sooryavanshi debate to rest after whirlwind blitz destroys Afghanistan

September 15, 2026

Under pressure following calls to replace him with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Sanju Samson responded emphatically during India's second T20I match against Afghanistan on Tuesday. The 31-year-old opener blasted 57 runs from just 22 deliveries, striking seven boundaries and four maximums before falling to Rashid Khan.

His aggressive display allowed him to surpass 1,000 career T20I runs as an Indian opening batter, becoming only the fifth player to reach that milestone alongside , , Shikhar Dhawan, and Abhishek Sharma. The knock also marked the fourth occasion in 2026 where Samson faced at least 16 balls in an innings, all resulting in half-centuries following his Player of the Tournament run at the T20 World Cup, where he hit an unbeaten 97 versus the West Indies along with twin scores of 89 against England and New Zealand.

Samson and Abhishek Sharma then launched the chase with a furious 88-run opening partnership lasting 38 deliveries, with the latter contributing 39 runs before Rashid dismissed both openers in a single over. Samson's match-winning contribution followed a period of fluctuating fortunes, having previously weathered a poor tour in the United Kingdom, losing his spot temporarily to Sooryavanshi, returning for the England finale, and taking a break during the Zimbabwe tour before his recall for this series and the Asian Games.