{"id":9943,"date":"2026-05-15T10:29:43","date_gmt":"2026-05-15T10:29:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1win.za.com\/ipl\/ravi-shastri-calls-sanju-samson-indias-clear-t20i-captaincy-choice"},"modified":"2026-05-15T10:29:43","modified_gmt":"2026-05-15T10:29:43","slug":"ravi-shastri-calls-sanju-samson-indias-clear-t20i-captaincy-choice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/1win.za.com\/ipl\/ravi-shastri-calls-sanju-samson-indias-clear-t20i-captaincy-choice","title":{"rendered":"Ravi Shastri Calls Sanju Samson India\u2019s Clear T20I Captaincy Choice"},"content":{"rendered":"

Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes Sanju Samson has emerged as the most convincing leadership prospect for India\u2019s T20I team in the coming years, calling him a \u201cclear case\u201d after the wicketkeeper-batter\u2019s dramatic rise over the last season. Shastri\u2019s backing comes after Samson delivered a standout role in India\u2019s triumphant ICC T20 World Cup 2026 run, where he was also named Player of the Tournament.<\/p>\n

Shastri\u2019s view on Samson\u2019s captaincy timeline<\/h2>\n
    \n
  1. Shastri suggested India may need to consider a captaincy change ahead of the next T20 World Cup, scheduled for 2028.<\/li>\n
  2. He pointed out that current skipper Suryakumar Yadav is expected to be 37 by the time that tournament arrives, which could influence planning for leadership.<\/li>\n
  3. In that context, Shastri said Samson could be among the serious contenders to lead India in the shortest format within the next two to three years.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Speaking on The ICC Review, Shastri said the national team\u2019s captaincy picture could shift depending on how Suryakumar performs over the next couple of years, adding that India might look for a new leader come the 2028 World Cup.<\/p>\n

    Why Shastri thinks Samson is ready<\/h2>\n

    Shastri argued that Samson\u2019s case is no longer theoretical because he has already shown leadership experience with Rajasthan Royals, and his position in India\u2019s batting order has continued to strengthen. He described Samson as a dependable presence at the top who can be \u201cextremely destructive,\u201d framing his captaincy growth as something that is only beginning.<\/p>\n

    The former India all-rounder also highlighted Samson\u2019s captaincy background with Rajasthan Royals, where he led the franchise across five IPL seasons and steered the team to the final in 2022. That earlier responsibility, Shastri said, helped establish credibility well before Samson\u2019s recent international surge.<\/p>\n

    International impact and IPL maturity<\/h2>\n

    What ultimately convinced Shastri, however, was Samson\u2019s transformation into a consistent match-winner on the big stage. He referenced Samson\u2019s impact following the T20 World Cup, where he \u201calmost\u201d won games for India largely on his own\u2014especially in high-pressure matches including the quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. Shastri also linked that international maturity to Samson\u2019s current approach in the IPL, saying it reinforces his leadership credentials going forward.<\/p>\n

    \u201cMy word this season, the way he\u2019s played after his performance in the T20 World Cup where single-handedly he almost won India games\u2014the big games, the quarter-finals, semi-finals, the final\u2014and the way he stepped up and the maturity he\u2019s showing now in the IPL, makes him a clear case as far as I\u2019m concerned for leadership in the future,\u201d Shastri said.<\/p>\n

    Silencing doubts about consistency<\/h2>\n

    Shastri further claimed Samson has finally shut down long-standing doubts about his consistency, saying the talent was always evident but some observers felt he had not always fully delivered on it. Now, he believes Samson has put an end to those question marks.<\/p>\n

    \u201cI think he has put a lid on all those question marks. There was always ability. People would, in fact, be disappointed because he wouldn\u2019t do justice to that ability,\u201d Shastri added.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Former India head coach Ravi Shastri believes Sanju Samson has emerged as the most convincing leadership prospect for India\u2019s T20I team in the coming years,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":9942,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"Ravi Shastri Backs Sanju Samson as India T20I Captain","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Ravi Shastri says Sanju Samson is India\u2019s clearest T20I captaincy pick, praising his rise and Player of the Tournament impact in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-9943","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\nRavi Shastri Backs Sanju Samson as India T20I Captain<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Ravi Shastri says Sanju Samson is India\u2019s clearest T20I captaincy pick, praising his rise and Player of the 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