In a heartbreaking turn of events at the Greenfield International Stadium, hometown hero Sanju Samson failed to capitalize on a golden opportunity, leaving the Thiruvananthapuram crowd in stunned silence during the 5th T20I against New Zealand.

Despite the electric ‘Sanju-mania’ sweeping the stands, the wicketkeeper-batter’s struggles at the top of the order reached a breaking point in what was supposed to be his definitive audition for the T20 World Cup 2026. While opening partner Abhishek Sharma signaled intent with a six off the very first over, Samson looked visibly bogged down by the immense pressure of expectation, eventually falling for a meager score that has placed his spot in the national squad under severe scrutiny.

IND vs NZ: Lockie Ferguson silences Trivandrum as Sanju Samson departs for 6

The stage was perfectly set for Samson to silence his critics on his home turf, but the fairytale return quickly turned into a nightmare as he was dismissed cheaply in the third over. Facing the raw pace of Lockie Ferguson, Samson struggled to find his timing despite a boundary earlier in the over. On the fifth ball of the 3rd over (2.5), Ferguson bowled a fullish delivery that invited the drive; Samson, going deep in his crease, reached for a lofted shot but only managed a thick outside edge.

The ball flew toward deep backward point where Bevon Jacobs tracked it well and completed a sharp catch. Samson departed for 6 off 6 balls, leaving the stadium in a state of funeral-like quiet. This ‘flop show’ is particularly damaging given that Ishan Kishan, who returned to the XI tonight, and Tilak Varma, who is set to rejoin the squad on February 3, are both breathing down his neck for a starting spot in the World Cup. As he walked back to the dugout, the frustration among the local fans was palpable, realizing that their hero may have just played his last international game on home soil for the foreseeable future.

Also READ: IND vs NZ, 5th T20I: Suryakumar Yadav reveals crucial Tilak Varma update ahead of T20 World Cup 2026

Here’s how fans reacted:

Meet Sanju Samson
– Cant play spin
-cant play fast
-only survival on pr
– connection with politician

Most overrated cricketer ever in the history of cricket. pic.twitter.com/PfFMjxl7ry

— MARCUS (@MARCUS907935) January 31, 2026

They really replaced shubman gill with this sanju samson. I dont think anyone has ever played more ugly 6-7 deliveries like he did. He shouldnt be any way near to international cricket again. That technique is shameful.

— virk (@cirketttt) January 31, 2026

I am watching cricket from 14 years

I have not seen bigger fraud than Sanju Samson in my life pic.twitter.com/rKkmQWPF7J

— 𝘿𝙖𝙠𝙨𝙝 (@screwgauge77) January 31, 2026

Have not seen a worse batter get so much hype & recognition in india without doing absolutely anything. Sad to see that regional biases have crept into indian cricket selections.I mean how can anyone with any cricket smarts think that sanju will succeed against any decent bowling

— Sandy (@SB_071162) January 31, 2026

Sanju shouldn’t be retained for the next Mega Auction if he can’t accumulate 1100 runs in the next 2 seasons. We can’t lose someone like Ayush/Kartik for him. He’s too inconsistent for someone with 14 years of IPL experience.

— Abhi⚒️ (@abhi_backup07) January 31, 2026

Gautam Gambhir watching Sanju Samson pic.twitter.com/VKVAMOmYvI

— Sagar (@sagarcasm) January 31, 2026

Sanju Samson if sympathy & PR never existed. pic.twitter.com/rVasKxdCYt

— Kunal Yadav (@Kunal_KLR) January 31, 2026

Sanju Scam-s-con in his last 16 T20i innings:

26(20), 5(7), 3(6), 1(3), 16(7), 56(45), 13(17), 39(23), 24(21), 2(4), 37(22), 10(7), 6(5), 0(1), 24(15),6(6)

– 16 Average,
– 126 SR pic.twitter.com/JeoNq4NSRw

— Vaikon (@vaikon) January 31, 2026

Sanju Samson ne to lag raha Gambhir ki baat serious le li hai 20 match me zero par out hoga to bhi nahi nikalenge.

— Akmal Khan (@Destroyedin2021) January 31, 2026

Sanju Samson ne to lag raha Gambhir ki baat serious le li hai 20 match me zero par out hoga to bhi nahi nikalenge.

— Akmal Khan (@Destroyedin2021) January 31, 2026

Sanju Samson’s 2026 T20I Series vs New Zealand

Samson’s five-match T20I series against New Zealand in January 2026 proved to be a grueling test of character that ultimately left his T20 World Cup aspirations hanging by a thread. Tasked with the responsibility of being India’s primary opener alongside Abhishek, Samson struggled to find his rhythm from the outset, beginning the series with scores of 10 in Nagpur and 6 in Raipur. The pressure intensified after a demoralizing golden duck in Guwahati, where he was bowled by a Matt Henry peach on the very first ball of the chase.

While he showed a glimpse of his signature intent in Visakhapatnam with a brief 24 off 15 balls, his homecoming in Thiruvananthapuram resulted in the ultimate heartbreak; he managed just 6 runs before falling to Ferguson, finishing the series with a dismal total of 46 runs at an average of 9.2. This ‘consistently inconsistent’ run has created a significant selection headache for the team management, as the prolific form of Ishan Kishan and the imminent return of Tilak Varma on February 3 have now cast doubt on whether Samson will retain his spot in the starting XI for India’s World Cup opener against the USA.

Also READ: Rohit Sharma picks a ‘key player’ for India at the T20 World Cup 2026

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