2026 has been a golden year for Sanju Samson. He is arguably in the best form of his life, proving his worth with every opportunity he gets. After his stellar performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, he has become the talk of the town, with fans and experts calling for his permanent spot in the ODI team. He will be India’s 2nd choice WK after KL Rahul.
Samson’s heroics in the T20 World Cup were nothing short of legendary. He played match-winning knocks that helped India secure the title once again.
| Opponent | Format | Runs (Balls) |
|---|---|---|
| West Indies | T20I | 97* (50) |
| England | T20I | 89 (42) |
| New Zealand | T20I | 89 (46) |
Why Samson Deserves an ODI Spot
Reports from journalist Abhishek Tripathi suggest that the Indian team management is now seriously considering Sanju Samson for the ODI squad. Samson’s ODI statistics show that he is not just a hard-hitter but also a reliable middle-order batter who can anchor the innings.
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Sanju Samson’s ODI Career Stats
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Matches | 16 |
| Innings | 14 |
| Total Runs | 510 |
| Batting Average | 56.67 |
| Strike Rate | 99.61 |
| Best Score | 108 |
Rishabh Pant’s Struggles
While Samson is soaring, Rishabh Pant has struggled to maintain his consistency in white-ball cricket. Experts have noted that Pant has lacked a clear template for limited-overs formats recently, and his performance has dipped significantly. With an average of only 33.50 in ODIs, Pant is facing tough competition to keep his place in the starting eleven.
Given Samson’s high average and match-winning strike rate, the selectors may look to him to provide the stability and explosive power that the Indian ODI team currently needs. With the team looking toward the future, Samson’s current form makes him the logical choice to take over the gloves and the batting responsibilities.
