Will Sanju Samson Play Super 8 Stage of T20 World Cup 2026?

The ICC T20 World Cup 2026 has now progressed to the Super 8 phase, and India’s clash against South Africa on Sunday, February 22, has generated significant discussion, especially regarding the possible inclusion of Sanju Samson in the starting XI.
Although India advanced from the group stage without a defeat, recent training sessions indicate that the team combination may still be under consideration. India’s practice session in Ahmedabad has initiated a fresh debate, with indications that the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter could be in line for selection at the biggest cricket stadium in the world, the Narendra Modi Stadium.

In the build-up to the Super 8 contest against South Africa, Samson was seen spending considerable time in the nets. His long training session with Ishan Kishan left fans wondering if he will come in as Abhishek Sharma replacement ahead of the high-pressure encounter against the Proteas.

Will Sanju Samson Play Super 8 Stage of T20 World Cup 2026?

From a strategic standpoint, India faces a slight imbalance in their batting order. The dominance of left-handers in the playing 11 has allowed oppositions to use off-spin as a wicket-taking option against the Indian left-handers. India has faced more deliveries of off-spin than any other side in this tournament, 102 balls, yet their scoring rate stands at just 6.23 runs per over.

Against a well-balanced South African bowling unit, the presence of so many left-hand batters in the lineup, such as Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh and Axar Patel, has made the Indian side a little bit predictable.

As Samson is a naturally aggressive right-hander who maintains a strike rate of around 150 against spin in T20 Internationals, and has a splendid record against the Proteas, including two centuries, he might be considered by the management to add a bit of variety in the batting lineup and counter the off-spin situation.

Will Sanju Samson Replace Tilak Varma in IND vs SA T20 World Cup 2026?

One of the best T20 batsmen, Abhishek Sharma, has had a disastrous campaign so far, as he has been dismissed for three successive ducks against the USA, Pakistan, and the Netherlands. But, as per the recent statement made by the Indian bowling coach, Morne Morkel, in the pre-match press conference, it indicates that the management is going to back Abhishek, and there is no discussion about replacing him in the playing 11.

Tilak Varma, meanwhile, has managed to get starts but has struggled to convert them, and with a strike rate near 120, questions are being raised about his ability to shift gears against high-quality spin, and Sanju might get a chance as Tilak Varma replacement in the clash against the Proteas.

The Indian think tank, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir, is known to show patience with underperforming players. Yet, with the tournament now entering the high-pressure Super 8 phase, it will be interesting to find out about the playing combination of the Men in Blue.