'Abhishek Sharma was also taking a little time': Cheteshwar Pujara explains why Sanju Samson struggled in IND vs WI 3rd T20I
toi
newspoint|14-10-2026
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara has explained why Sanju Samson struggled in the third T20I against West Indies in Indore. Samson, who scored an impressive 82 in the previous match, managed just three runs off six balls before being dismissed.
Despite his early exit, India scored 223/20, powered by Abhishek Sharma ’s 69 off 30 balls. West Indies fell 14 runs short, giving India a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Pujara explains Samson’s mistake
Speaking on JioStar’s show, GamePlan, Pujara felt Samson needed more time to understand the pitch conditions before attempting aggressive shots.
With Abhishek also taking time to settle, Samson was under pressure to score quickly. He was caught by Kamil Pooran off Shamar Joseph in the second over.
"He should have understood the wicket a little more. The phase had become like that because Abhishek was also taking a little time. So Sanju didn't have that option. He had to accelerate a little early, and that's why that error happened," on JioStar's show, 'GamePlan'.
"The bat turned in his hands. The ball was definitely good, there is no doubt about that, but I still felt that he might have batted better had he gotten a little more time," he added.
Pujara praises Ishan Kishan’s role
Pujara also praised Ishan Kishan for his contribution at No. 3, highlighting how the left-handed batter has helped India maintain momentum while supporting the explosive players at the top of the order.
"If we talk about Ishan Kishan, coming at No. 3, he is doing what the Indian team needs. You cannot see a big score every time because you have explosive players in the top order. Their role is to give the team a good start and to make the most of the Powerplay," he said.
"Whenever Ishan Kishan has come to bat, he has maximized the Powerplay. After that, you want to accelerate because you have wickets in hand. So, quickfire 30-40 is good enough. Maybe for his personal milestone, you might want him to score big runs, but he is doing the job for the team," he added.
India will face West Indies in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday, aiming to extend their series lead.
Despite his early exit, India scored 223/20, powered by Abhishek Sharma ’s 69 off 30 balls. West Indies fell 14 runs short, giving India a 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Pujara explains Samson’s mistake
Speaking on JioStar’s show, GamePlan, Pujara felt Samson needed more time to understand the pitch conditions before attempting aggressive shots.
With Abhishek also taking time to settle, Samson was under pressure to score quickly. He was caught by Kamil Pooran off Shamar Joseph in the second over.
"He should have understood the wicket a little more. The phase had become like that because Abhishek was also taking a little time. So Sanju didn't have that option. He had to accelerate a little early, and that's why that error happened," on JioStar's show, 'GamePlan'.
"The bat turned in his hands. The ball was definitely good, there is no doubt about that, but I still felt that he might have batted better had he gotten a little more time," he added.
Pujara praises Ishan Kishan’s role
Pujara also praised Ishan Kishan for his contribution at No. 3, highlighting how the left-handed batter has helped India maintain momentum while supporting the explosive players at the top of the order.
"If we talk about Ishan Kishan, coming at No. 3, he is doing what the Indian team needs. You cannot see a big score every time because you have explosive players in the top order. Their role is to give the team a good start and to make the most of the Powerplay," he said.
"Whenever Ishan Kishan has come to bat, he has maximized the Powerplay. After that, you want to accelerate because you have wickets in hand. So, quickfire 30-40 is good enough. Maybe for his personal milestone, you might want him to score big runs, but he is doing the job for the team," he added.
India will face West Indies in the fourth T20I in Hyderabad on Wednesday, aiming to extend their series lead.
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