Ravichandran Ashwin brutally slams Sanju Samson’s ‘wannabe Rohit Sharma’ approach

Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has backed Sanju Samson to get a big hundred in the remainder of the ICC T20 World Cup matches. He has agreed that cameos and quick thirties can get the work done for India, but not him, since he would not have a platform greater than this.

India made the massive change to their lineup as they reintroduced the opening pair of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma back into the Indian Playing XI. In-form Ishan Kishan has been handed a new role at No. 3, while Tilak Varma gets demoted to a new position in the lower middle order.

For Samson, despite being part of the Indian team for years, he has played his first-ever T20 World Cup game in this edition of the Cup. Samson is yet to make a massive impact with a big innings in the World Cup, and he prays for him to fire.

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"If Sanju Samson can give me 14 balls for 24...or a 16-ball 30, he would have done a job" - Ravichandran Ashwin

Sanju has clearly been brought into the batting order not only to neutralise the threat of off-spinners or to give India a left-hand-right-hand batting combination advantage, but rather, he would be used to keep Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma from being exposed too early in the innings.

The two aggressors for India often led to early dismissals; hence, Sanju Samson gets to play the role of the aggressor, while Abhishek might just be asked to save some time for himself.

"If Sanju Samson can give me 14 balls for 24, 15 balls for 28, 16 balls for 30 or 17 balls for 30 from now onwards till the final, then Sanju would have done a job for the Indian team. He would be giving them the flighted start, and maybe he could turn this into a bigger inning if he settles down for once," said Ravichandran Ashwin.

"Sanju Samson should end this World Cup with a century." - Ravichandran Ashwin's massive prayer for Indian opener

However, while speaking of Sanju Samson as an individual cricketer whom Ashwin, on a personal level, loves to watch play, he wished that he could capitalise on the opportunity he has got, as he feels that a significant innings here can be his final chance to make it big on the international platform.

"For Sanju as a person, whom I like so much, I want him to stick in and make a huge score. He won't get a better chance than this. I pray that he makes a good start and capitalizes on that, which is likely to give him a great platform in international cricket," Ashwin pointed out.

Ravichandran Ashwin went on to claim that he would love to see Sanju Samson score a few big hundreds, and if not hundreds, then at least a few match-winning contributions for India, which has not come in a long time.

"After having struggled his way up until here, Sanju Samson should have the plan to finish off this World Cup with a 'Century! Century! Century!' If not three, then at least one or two would also do."

"If not centuries, I at least want him to give a match-winning performance for his confidence, and it would do a world of good for him. He deserves this," he added.

However, Ashwin also pointed out Sanju Samson's weak point and his continuous pattern of dismissals. Either the reason is crippled foot movement or the reason is missing out on shorter-pitched deliveries.

"My concern for Sanju is his pattern of dismissal. Today, as well, he attempted to play a pull shot, and it was caught after he was beaten by the angle and the ball hit high on his bat, around the sticker region. The reason for this is that he never goes across but rather goes straight, and the bottom hand comes into play. He can switch out from playing this shot or play upper cuts. The technique needs no change, but tactics could be changed," Ravichandran Ashwin concluded.

🚨Ashwin thinks this is the biggest opportunity Sanju will ever get🚨
⏩India are still the favorites to win the World Cup🏆

Ashwin🗣️: I really want Sanju to score big 100. 💯
I want that match winning performance from him.
👉Concern for Sanju : The pattern of dismissal

⏩India… pic.twitter.com/ETKERt5QR8

— AkCricTalks🎤🇮🇳 (@AKCricTalks) February 27, 2026

Ravichandran Ashwin backs Bumrah and Hardik for big games and suggests tactical changes for Varun Chakravarthy

Ravichandran Ashwin has also suggested that Jasprit Bumrah is a world-class bowler and that he will deliver when India needs him in high-pressure games. He also praised Hardik Pandya immensely, tagging him as the finest player in the world and no one else being close to his calibre.

Varun Chakravarthy, who was India's best campaigner until this World Cup, has lost some shape and form, though he remains India's highest wicket-taker this edition. Ravichandran Ashwin suggests that Chakravarthy should bowl it slowly and should go over the wickets against left-handers. He suggests some change in tactics for them.

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