Aakash Chopra has identified Sanju Samson as a prominent candidate for the role of wicketkeeper-batter in India’s team for the 2026 T20 World Cup. However, he noted that Samson’s batting performances in the middle order, where he might be required to play, have been less convincing.

In recent T20 internationals, Samson has often opened the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma and has enjoyed success in the role. But with Shubman Gill making a return to the squad and being appointed vice-captain for the upcoming Asia Cup, Samson’s position could change. He may be pushed lower down the order, where competition for places is tougher. In that situation, Jitesh Sharma could be favoured ahead of Samson for the middle-order batting role.

“Sanju Samson stands out as the leading candidate since he featured in the most recent series. He has scored three centuries in his last 12 matches and is currently part of the squad. Naturally, he is the first player to consider. Looking at his stats while batting at positions one to three in all T20 games, he has amassed over 6,000 runs at a strike rate of 140 and an average of 33. Those are impressive numbers for those batting spots,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“Sanju Samson is definitely a strong candidate if you want a wicketkeeper batter in the top three. However, when I examine his performance at positions four to seven, he has played 98 matches at an average of just 20 and a strike rate of 126. Neither the strike rate nor the average looks very good there. While Samson would be a frontrunner if he bats up top, his standing drops significantly once you move him down the order,” he added.

Jitesh Sharma Leads Wicketkeeper Race

Chopra also pointed out that Dhruv Jurel, Rishabh Pant, and Samson are all likely to compete for the second wicketkeeper spot behind Jitesh Sharma. He suggested that Samson currently trails behind due to his weaker performances in the middle order.

“I feel Jitesh Sharma will make it into the playing XI. We shouldn’t focus too much on the top three positions because he’s unlikely to get a chance there. However, his performance from positions four to seven has improved significantly. He boasts a strike rate of 166 and an average of 28. He is the first batter in that range with a strike rate over 150. So, when the batting order is decided, he will be placed at the very top. Among all players, Jitesh Sharma’s stats stand out the most. He’s performing exceptionally well and looks like the clear frontrunner. I’m really hoping he does well in the Asia Cup,” he concluded.