‘He Needs to Learn’: Wasim Jaffer Expresses Concern Over Sanju Samson Approach

Veteran India opener Wasim Jaffer expressed his concerns over Sanju Samson’s batting approach at number 4 spot in ODIs. The flamboyant wicketkeeper batter scored a fine half-century against West Indies in the third ODI in Trinidad but Jaffer was not impressed with his high-risk game. Samson has been in and out of the Indian team for the past couple of years and failed to cement his place in the side in both ODIs and T20Is. The wicketkeeper batter didn’t get consistent chances in the team but he still enjoys a massive fan following across India.

In the third ODI, Samson scored 51 runs off 41 balls which was laced with 2 fours and 4 sixes. He started the innings with a couple of sixes to stamp his authority.

However, Jaffer feels playing at the number 4 position, Samson should not take much risk at the start of the innings.

“He (Sanju Samson) played well, but he plays a very high-risk game. If you look at his innings, he came out and hit those couple of sixes. It connected and went for six, but he could have gotten out if he had mistimed. That’s been the case with Sanju Samson. So, somebody to bat at No.4 and play like that, I have my doubts,” Jaffer told ESPNCricinfo.

Talking about Samson’s inconsistency, Jaffer expressed concern over his approach which has also been the same in IPL for the past few seasons where he played a couple of good knocks and then went on lean patches in a season.

“That’s fine if the team management gives him that licence, but consistency is also an issue. You want to be destructive, but you don’t want to score in two or three innings out of six. That’s my concern. Even in the IPL, we have seen that there are some good innings and some really lean patches. That’s been the case. So he needs to learn,” Jaffer added.

Samson will be next seen in action against West Indies in the five-match T20I series starting from August 3.