Has Ishan Kishan Beaten Sanju Samson in the Opening Race? Aakash Chopra Gives His Verdict

Former Indian opener and noted Cricket analyst Aakash Chopra has weighed in decisively on the much-debated opening slot for India at the upcoming T20 World Cup, stating that Ishan Kishan has effectively won the battle against Sanju Samson. Chopra’s assessment came after Kishan’s blistering knock in India’s warm-up match against South Africa on Wednesday in Navi Mumbai.

According to Chopra, Kishan’s performance left little room for debate, firmly tilting the contest in his favour and making him the clear frontrunner to open the innings in the World Cup.

“At this point, there is no confusion,” Chopra remarked, adding that Samson appears to have fallen behind in the race for the opening position following Kishan’s dominant display.

India captain Suryakumar Yadav, speaking at the toss, confirmed that the team management wanted to test Kishan as Abhishek Sharma’s opening partner in their second warm-up match at the DY Patil Stadium. Kishan repaid that faith in emphatic fashion, smashing 53 runs off just 20 balls, an innings laced with seven towering sixes.

Kishan retired out in the sixth over, allowing Tilak Varma to gain valuable match practice in the middle—an indication that the team management was satisfied with Kishan’s contribution at the top.

“Yes, without a doubt. I mean, sealed the deal completely—no questions asked,” Chopra told the broadcasters during the post-match analysis.

Sanju Samson, who many believed was the frontrunner to open at the start of the T20 World Cup build-up, has struggled for form in recent outings. Against New Zealand, Samson managed just 46 runs across five matches, averaging 9.20 with a highest score of 24—a return that did little to strengthen his case.

In contrast, Kishan came into the warm-up fixture on the back of a sensational T20I series against the Kiwis, where he piled up 215 runs at a staggering strike rate of 231.18. His standout performance included a breathtaking 42-ball century in Thiruvananthapuram, underlining his destructive potential at the top of the order.

Will Sanju Samson Still Get an Opportunity?

Despite acknowledging Kishan’s strong hold on the opening slot, Chopra believes Samson’s versatility could still keep him in contention for a place in the playing XI, albeit in a different role.

“Someone can always pick up an injury, wake up with a fever, or suddenly lose form. In those situations, you would want someone like Sanju to step in,” Chopra explained.

He further pointed out that Samson is the only batter in the squad who may be required to bat at multiple positions, which could limit his chances of playing in his preferred role at the top.

“Since he’s the only batter who might have to bat anywhere, it’s also possible that he doesn’t get to play in his natural position. Today was an opportunity—ideally, it would have helped if he had scored runs as well,” Chopra added.

India went on to win the warm-up match by 30 runs at the DY Patil Stadium, a game in which Sanju Samson did not feature. Given the contrasting recent form of the two players, there is now a strong possibility that Ishan Kishan will walk out as India’s opener when they face the United States of America (USA) on February 7 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.