Uthappa backs Sanju Samson to open for India at T20 World Cup

Dubai: Former India opener Robin Uthappa has thrown his support behind Sanju Samson as India’s opening batter for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February next year.

Dubai resident Uthappa insisted that Samson should be an automatic choice in India’s playing XI, pointing to his consistent performances since the 2024 T20 World Cup. Highlighting Samson’s back-to-back centuries in South Africa and his hundred against Bangladesh, Uthappa said those knocks inspired younger players to believe in themselves.

“Sanju Samson should be a starter in the T20 World Cup XI, no matter what,” Uthappa said in a video shared on social media. “He’s among the players who have scored hundreds after the 2024 T20 World Cup. Those performances motivated young stars to step up and believe they could do the same.”

Samson has already been named in India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, which will be played from February 7 to March 8 across India and Sri Lanka.

Uthappa also questioned the decision to break up the opening partnership of Samson and Abhishek Sharma, calling it a successful combination that worked well for the team.

“For me, what did the Sanju Samson—Abhishek Sharma opening partnership do wrong to be split up? It was a functioning partnership,” he said. “Sanju’s versatility as a batter brings stability to the team, and his leadership qualities mean he knows how to handle pressure situations.”

Emphasising the balance Samson provides, Uthappa recalled his calm performance in high-pressure moments, including the Asia Cup final, where he stitched a crucial partnership with Tilak Varma.

“He adds a lot of balance to the side. We’ve seen him absorb pressure and deliver when it matters,” Uthappa noted. “If you’re playing Sanju Samson, he should bat at 1, 2 or 3 — not lower than that.”