'We Have To Blame Them...': Former India Star Highlights Reasons Behind Sanju Samson's Slump In IND vs NZ T20I Series

India hosted New Zealand for a five-match T20I series ahead of the T20 World Cup, with the final match being held at Thiruvananthapuram on January 31, 2026. While India won the series 4-1, star batter Sanju Samson failed to make an impact, scoring only 46 runs in five matches at an average of 9.20.

Playing at his homeground in Thiruvananthapuram, despite the high expectations, Sanju Samson fell for a run-a-ball and was dismissed for just six runs. However, India managed to hammer 271 runs in 20 overs.

Former India seamer Irfan Pathan recently talked about Sanju Samson's woeful form in the T20I series against New Zealand. Irfan Pathan blamed the selectors for Sanju Samson's dip in form and lack of confidence.

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Irfan Pathan Points Out Reasons Behind Sanju Samson's Slump

While speaking on his YouTube video, Irfan Pathan pointed out that if the selectors deserve credit for recalling Ishan Kishan, who was one of the star performers in the series, then they also deserve the blame for Sanju Samson's dip in performance, as they had dropped him for returning Shubman Gill for the 2025 Asia Cup.

Pathan shared, "As for Sanju Samson, he hasn’t scored runs. A batter’s struggles due to two things. Firstly, a batter’s mindset is not in the right space, and secondly, due to technical faults. A batter who was not consistent, but when he did, thrashed three centuries at the top, and was asked to bat at the lower order due to some other player. We credited the selectors for Ishan Kishan, but we have to blame them for Samson being out of form."

He further added, "If you bring in a player into a position where another player has scored, and there is a change of position, the problem arises. That’s what happened to Samson. Players who play domestic cricket can relate to this. When you have performed, and another player is picked in your place, you either get upset or lose or confidence."

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Ishan Kishan Played In T20 Format After Nearly Three Years

Ishan Kishan returned to T20Is after nearly three years and proved his worth, scoring 215 runs in four innings at a strike rate of over 200. Kishan remains a strong contender to replace Samson in the top order after his recent performance.