Pujara backs Sanju Samson to open for India, tells Sooryavanshi to wait
Synopsis
Cheteshwar Pujara has waded into one of Indian cricket's most debated selection questions — and his answer is clear: Sanju Samson, the T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament, deserves to keep his opening slot over prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. With the West Indies series starting Tuesday, India's team management faces a choice that will shape the country's T20 batting blueprint for years to come.
Key Takeaways
Cheteshwar Pujara backed Sanju Samson to open for India alongside Abhishek Sharma in the West Indies T20I series .
Samson was the Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup and scored twin fifties against Afghanistan .
Pujara urged patience for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi , saying injuries and India's packed T20 schedule will create openings.
India's earlier attempt to play Samson, Sooryavanshi, and Abhishek together in the Asian Games required pushing Ishan Kishan to No.
5 and fielding just one pacer.
The five-match T20I series against the West Indies begins Tuesday .
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has thrown his weight behind Sanju Samson as the preferred opening partner for Abhishek Sharma in India's T20I setup, arguing that the Chennai Super Kings wicketkeeper-batter is at the peak of his powers and that teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi should bide his time. Pujara's remarks come ahead of India's five-match T20I series against the West Indies, beginning Tuesday.
Pujara Makes His Case for Samson
Speaking to JioStar, Pujara was unambiguous about his preference. 'I would go with Sanju Samson because he is an experienced player who has won a World Cup,' he said. 'You can't suddenly make a change when someone is performing well just because you have an exceptional talent sitting on the bench.'
Pujara further emphasised that Samson is no ordinary stop-gap option. 'Sanju Samson is equally talented. He has also performed really well and is actually at his peak right now. You still have some years left in Sanju Samson, so try and make the most of it,' he added. Samson was named Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup and followed that up with back-to-back fifties against Afghanistan, although he was dismissed for cheap scores against Japan.
A Path Forward for Sooryavanshi
Pujara was careful not to shut the door on Sooryavanshi entirely, pointing out that the young opener will still benefit from being in the squad environment even without a guaranteed place in the playing XI. 'There will be injuries in between, so Vaibhav Sooryavanshi will definitely get opportunities. It's not like he won't get a chance,' Pujara said.
'And it will be good for him only, even if he isn't in the playing XI; he can learn a lot of things by staying with the squad. As he matures, he will get his opportunities. India are playing a lot of T20 matches, so it's not like he won't get a chance all year, but he will have to wait for his opportunity,' the former Test stalwart added. Notably, this mirrors the classic India bench-management dilemma — a side rich in batting options but constrained by the need to balance experience with emerging talent.
The Asian Games Experiment and Its Limits
India did attempt to field all three — Samson, Sooryavanshi, and Abhishek — in the same Playing XI during the Asian Games, but the tactical compromise was telling. Ishan Kishan was pushed down to No. 5, and India fielded just one frontline pacer in Jasprit Bumrah. That configuration is unlikely to be replicated in a bilateral T20I series against a competitive West Indies side, which means a binary selection call between Samson and Sooryavanshi appears unavoidable.
What to Watch in the India-West Indies T20I Series
The five-match T20I series against the West Indies will serve as a key indicator of India's batting hierarchy heading into the next T20 World Cup cycle. Whether the team management aligns with Pujara's view — or opts to hand Sooryavanshi a run at the top — will set the tone for India's white-ball transition over the coming months.
Point of View
Or whether the risk of over-exposure at 18 is being conflated with the risk of wasted prime years. India's T20 transition is happening fast, and the Asian Games compromise — Kishan at five, one pacer — showed the limits of trying to please everyone. A clear hierarchy, stated publicly, would serve both players better than strategic ambiguity.
NationPress
6 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Pujara want Sanju Samson to open for India?
Pujara believes Samson, a T20 World Cup winner and the tournament's Player of the Tournament, is at the peak of his powers and should not be dropped for an unproven youngster. He argued that Samson has years of cricket left and should be given the chance to fully capitalise on his current form.
Will Vaibhav Sooryavanshi get a chance in the India T20I team?
Pujara believes Sooryavanshi will get his opportunities through injuries and India's heavy T20 schedule, even if he does not start as a regular XI member. He also said being part of the squad itself offers the teenager valuable learning experiences.
What is the India vs West Indies T20I series schedule?
India are set to play a five-match T20I series against the West Indies beginning Tuesday, 7 October 2026. The series comes off the back of India's recent T20 engagements against Afghanistan and Japan.
Why can't India play Samson, Sooryavanshi, and Abhishek together?
India attempted this combination during the Asian Games but had to push Ishan Kishan to No. 5 and rely on just one frontline pacer in Jasprit Bumrah. That bowling imbalance is seen as too costly for competitive bilateral series, forcing a binary choice between Samson and Sooryavanshi at the top.
How has Sanju Samson performed recently?
Samson was named Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup and scored back-to-back fifties in the series against Afghanistan. He was, however, dismissed for cheap scores in the matches against Japan.
