'They dropped him when..' - Former cricketer slams India's approach after Sanju Samson's unbeaten 97-run knock vs WI in T20 World Cup 2026
Ex-CSK player questions India’s batting approach despite Sanju Samson’s 97 in IND vs WI Super 8 clash at T20 World Cup 2026.
Sanju Samson remained unbeaten on 97 off 50 balls as India qualified for the semis. Image | BCCI on X
Last Updated: 02.11 PM, Mar 02, 2026
India's former cricketer, Subramaniam Badrinath, slammed the selection committee for ignoring Sanju Samson and not giving him ample amount of time in the T20Is after the star batter scored a 97-run knock in the T20 World Cup 2026. He played some of the best shots in the innings, scoring 12 boundaries and four sixes.
Since the target was 196 runs, India were in crunch situation as the top order batters were dismissed, However, Samson stayed till the end and made sure to the game home. It was an incredible batting performance by the player who was not a part of the team a few matches ago. Thanks to his performance, India are through to the semi-finals by beating West Indies by five wickets.
"They dropped him when he was scoring runs. Then they dropped him saying he didn't perform. Yet, an opportunity fell into his lap when Rinku Singh became unavailable, and an opening spot opened up. He wasn't in great form before the World Cup. But the stars aligned perfectly for him, and an opportunity knocked on his door at the ideal time."
"And he used it to perfection. What an occasion, with a huge total to Chase in a must-win match. He soaked in that pressure and played a brilliant knock," said Subramaniam Badrinath on his Instagram channel.
India will meet England in semi-finals
After a successful run in the T20 World Cup group stage and Super 8, India will play against England in the semi-finals 2 on March 5 at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. Both teams will prepare well for the encounter since they are just a step away from reaching the finals. The semi-finals 1 will be between South Africa and New Zealand in Kolkata.
India made a record chase in the previous game and qualified for the semi-finals. While their performance against South Africa was a bit disappointing, they did well against the Caribbean nation. Now, they have to play well in the upcoming matches.
Where to watch India vs England match?
Cricket fans in India can watch the India vs England match on March 5 online on JioHotstar, via OTTplay Premium.