“We Are a Team”: Sanju Samson on Top-Order Competition After Blistering 57 Against Afghanistan

IND vs AFG 2nd T20I: Sanju Samson produced a stunning 57 off 22 balls while Nitish Kumar Reddy returned figures of 3/24 as India defeated Afghanistan by seven wickets in the second T20I on Tuesday. The victory gave India an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

Reddy struck with the first ball of each of his three overs as India's bowlers once again delivered a disciplined performance, restricting Afghanistan to 159 for eight. Mohammad Nabi and Rashid Khan provided late resistance, adding 48 runs from 28 balls after Afghanistan had slipped to 105 for six in 15 overs.

India, however, made the chase look straightforward, reaching 160 in just 14.5 overs. Samson and Abhishek Sharma set up the victory with a spectacular powerplay, taking India to 82 for one inside six overs and leaving Afghanistan with little room to recover.
Samson's explosive response

Samson led the attack, producing one of his most emphatic T20I innings after a period of failures and scrutiny. The 31-year-old struck seven fours and four sixes, bringing up his fastest fifty in international cricket from only 20 balls before finishing on 57 off 22.
The innings was a reflection of the aggressive approach India has adopted in T20 cricket over the past few years. Samson said the team's success, including its status as world champions, has reinforced the belief that players should continue to attack rather than become overly cautious after failures.

"I think it's the nature of the format," Samson said, explaining that the approach has been to watch the ball and maximise the powerplay. He acknowledged that the strategy does not always succeed, but said the team continues to back it because of the results it has produced.

That philosophy was evident from the opening overs. Afghanistan began with spin at both ends, but Abhishek immediately took advantage, hitting Mujeeb Ur Rahman for two fours in the first over before pulling Nabi for a six in the second. Samson then took over, ensuring the momentum never shifted back towards the visitors.

Samson On Handling Failures & Competition

His ability to play with such freedom, Samson said, has also come from learning how to deal with the pressure that accompanies failure in Indian cricket. He admitted that repeated failures can be difficult, but said experience has taught him to shut out the surrounding noise and continue trusting his game.

That challenge is particularly relevant given the competition for places in India's top three. With several batters performing strongly, Samson acknowledged that the decision-making process is difficult for the captain, coach, selectors and team management.

"All of them are really good, and all of them are performing," he said, adding that every player needs to be given opportunities to perform at the international level.

Samson's experience as an IPL franchise captain has also given him an understanding of how difficult such selection calls can be. Rather than focusing on whether he or another player gets the opportunity, he said he tries to concentrate on what remains under his control.

He also stressed that the players competing for positions must continue to support one another. While they may be competitors from the outside perspective, Samson said they remain teammates representing the same country, making the team's success the immediate priority.

'I Try To Turn Off My Wi-Fi'

That positive mindset, however, does not mean Samson is completely unaffected by criticism. Asked about dealing with the constant attention surrounding Indian cricketers, he joked that he tries to "turn off my Wi-Fi" to stay away from social media and outside commentary.

At times, though, the Wi-Fi gets switched back on, and Samson ends up seeing comments or hearing opinions about his performances. He admitted that such criticism can hurt.
"I'm not a machine or a robot," he said, acknowledging that outside noise does have an impact before adding that experience has helped him process it better.

For Samson, the key is preventing that noise from influencing his decisions at the crease. If he began worrying about what might happen after every shot, he said, it would become impossible to play the fearless brand of cricket expected from him.

His experience at the international level and India's World Cup campaign have helped him understand his role better, allowing him to focus on expressing himself while keeping the team's interests first.

AFG Head Coach Points Out SR As Major Concern

While Samson's innings underlined India's ability to score rapidly, Afghanistan's performance highlighted the gap they are still trying to bridge. Their batting struggled to maintain momentum, particularly during the middle overs, and the team believes improving its strike rate is essential to becoming a stronger T20 side.

"If we're going to improve as a T20 side, our strike rate has got to improve," the Afghanistan camp said, pointing specifically to their high dot-ball percentage.
Afghanistan's powerplay scoring has also emerged as a concern, with their average score in that phase around 45 for one. Against India, they were unable to build enough momentum early before losing wickets in the middle overs.

The difference is partly linked to exposure. Indian players regularly compete in the IPL on similar surfaces, giving them extensive experience in handling high-scoring conditions. Afghanistan do not have the same quality of wickets available in their domestic structure, meaning their development has to focus on preparing players to produce greater strike power despite those limitations.

Richard Pybus Defends Rashid's Bowling Deployment

That lack of momentum also influenced the discussion around Rashid Khan's use with the ball. According to Afghanistan head coach Richard Pybus, the star spinner was introduced too late, arguing that India had already accumulated around 80 runs by the time he was brought into the attack.

The larger issue, according to the Afghanistan camp, was the absence of sufficient pressure during the powerplay. While Nabi had bowled two effective overs, India had already established a strong platform before Rashid was brought on.

The toss was another factor Richard acknowledged, with the team believing that chasing was advantageous on the surface. At the same time, the management stressed that the side must learn to perform effectively whether it bats first or second.

Rashid's Batting Offers Positive

Amid Afghanistan's struggles, Rashid's contribution with the bat provided one of the brighter moments. Promoted into an all-rounder's role, he scored 28 and combined with Nabi to add 48 runs from 28 deliveries, helping Afghanistan recover from 105 for six and reach 159 for eight.

The Afghanistan camp said Rashid's batting development is part of a broader effort to extract greater contributions from its all-rounders. With several younger and less experienced players also being exposed to international cricket in India, the team views the series as an important learning experience.

The difference in depth between the two sides was also acknowledged. Afghanistan have talented players coming through, but their talent pool does not yet match India's in terms of numbers and experience.

For India, meanwhile, the second T20I provided another demonstration of their aggressive approach. Samson's rapid half-century, backed by Abhishek's powerplay assault and Reddy's incisive bowling, ensured the hosts wrapped up the series with one match still remaining.