IND vs NZ 2026: ‘How can you make such a big decision before the ball is bowled?’ – Aakash Chopra questions star Indian batter’s approach in 4th T20I

Sanju Samson flopped yet again in the ongoing five-match T20I series between India and New Zealand. In the fourth T20I on Wednesday, January 28, at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam, India needed the opening batter to fire, especially after the in-form Abhishek Sharma had been dismissed for a golden duck. The hosts were chasing a mammoth 216-run target.

Samson hit three fours and a six during his 15-ball stay at the crease and scored 24 runs. However, Mitchell Santner cleaned him up in the seventh over, much to the chagrin of the capacity crowd at the picturesque venue.

Former India opener Aakash Chopra noted that Samson has a technical issue, where he decides whether to play off the front foot or the back foot before the ball is delivered. The cricketer-turned-commentator explained how this technique is leading to his undoing.

“There is a slight technical issue. The simple philosophy of batting is to see the ball and react to it. Allow your body to take over. Almost all batters have a trigger movement, but Sanju decides before the ball is bowled whether he should go back or forward. If you go so far forward or back before the ball is bowled, you have pre-decided,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel.

“If you go back with both feet, the fast bowler sees you going there and bowls full. As soon as he bowls full, you can only present the bat and not play a shot. Similarly, if you go too far forward, there is no place to go on the back foot. How can you make such a big decision before the ball is bowled?” he added.

Somebody has to talk to him: Chopra

Chopra also pointed out an error in Samson’s technique while analysing his dismissal to the New Zealand captain. He hoped that someone would advise him on how to iron out his flaws.

“I feel it’s a big concern. In fact, he went deep inside the crease to a left-arm spinner. Then you have to play inside the line because it was a full ball. You don’t have a choice when you go so far deep inside the crease. Somebody has to talk to him that this is counterproductive,” he said.

So far in the four matches that have been played, Samson has aggregated 40 runs in four innings at a paltry average of 10. Indian fans will be a bit concerned about the Kerala cricketer’s form, with the T20 World Cup set to begin in just over a week.