Jitesh Sharma over Sanju Samson: Did Gautam Gambhir make the right call in IND vs SA 1st T20I?

The India T20I set-up seems to have found the right combination as the 2026 T20 World Cup swiftly approaches. Unfortunately for Sanju Samson, the wicketkeeper-batter does not appear to be a firmly established part of these preparations. After relying on Samson, who has largely operated as an opener in white-ball cricket, as a middle-order option during the Asia Cup 2025, India altered their approach midway through the Australia tour in October. The team switched to a dedicated finisher, handing the responsibility to fellow wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma for the final three matches. The pattern continued as Jitesh Sharma made it into the India Playing XI ahead of Sanju Samson for the IND vs SA 1st T20I.

Irfan Pathan, Deep Dasgupta back Gautam Gambhir for playing Jitesh Sharma over Sanju Samson in the IND vs SA 1st T20I

When Jitesh Sharma was once again chosen ahead of Sanju Samson, this time for the India vs South Africa T20I series opener in Cuttack, it effectively signalled the intentions of India head coach, Gautam Gambhir, for the upcoming 2026 T20 World Cup. Surprisingly, this decision, unlike earlier instances, did not spark backlash or revive the debate around the repeated omissions of Samson.

Instead, former India cricketers Deep Dasgupta and Irfan Pathan endorsed the move, describing it as a “fair” selection call. However, both the veterans cautioned head coach Gautam Gambhir against further experimentation with the India Playing XI at this stage of the India Cricket Schedule.

"It is the right call. If Sanju is not in top three and if the keeper is batting in the middle order you rather play a specialist, a lower order batter than a top order batter. It is not easy batting for two balls or four balls. Jitesh is a specialist in that regard," former India wicket-keeper Dasgupta said. "Nine games to go (before World Cup), I don't see too many changes ahead of the T20 World Cup," he added.

Between India’s historic victory at the 2024 T20 World Cup and the Asia Cup 2025 in September, Sanju Samson had been backed as the preferred T20I opener. The role opened up after Rohit Sharma stepped away from the format and Shubman Gill, who has now bee appointed as the T20I vice-captain, was directed to focus on the longer formats. In the meantime, Samson validated that opportunity by notching up three centuries as the opener for India in T20Is.

But the dynamics shifted with the BCCI’s decision to bring Shubman Gill back into the India Playing XI for the Asia Cup 2025 as part of a long-term vision to groom him for all-format leadership. With Gill’s return, Samson was displaced from the top and reassigned to a middle-order slot. Meanwhile, with only a limited number of matches left before the 2026 T20 World Cup begins next February, India opted once more to refine their strategy.

The management, with Gautam Gambhir at the helm, this time chose a specialist finisher in Jitesh Sharma over Sanju Samson. As a result, Samson has found it increasingly difficult to reclaim a place in the India Playing XI, as reiterated during the IND vs SA 1st T20I. In a recent conversation, Irfan Pathan emphasised that since India appear to have settled on Jitesh as their primary T20I wicketkeeper, there should be no further alterations in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup.

“It’s a fair call because you will face difficulty going forward if you are thinking about batting Sanju Samson down the order. Sanju Samson has batted up the order, in the top three, in his entire career. It’s a very difficult job if you go down from there. He played a very good knock in the Asia Cup while batting in the middle overs,” Pathan said.

“However, if you have to choose one between the two as to who will be more competent and proceed with one plan, you are proceeding with Jitesh Sharma currently, and you will have to move forward with him only. If you keep chopping and changing, you will have difficulties going forward,” he added.