Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin sent off a big warning message to India’s T20 opener and Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson after his lackluster showing in the five-match T20I series against England. India won the T20I series 4-1 but Samson managed to score only 51 runs before fracturing his finger in the fifth and final game at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
The 30-year-old Samson will be sidelined for a month due to a fracture in his right index finger. “If Sanju keeps getting out like this, as a batter, his mind will start playing tricks on him,” Ashwin said on his Hindi YouTube channel.
“You begin questioning—Is the bowler executing a good plan, or do I have a weakness? Can I adapt? Once these doubts start surfacing, batting becomes much tougher,” he explained.
Ashwin also advised out-of-form captain Suryakumar Yadav to rethink his approach to overcome his ongoing struggles. Suryakumar could only manage 28 runs in the recently concluded series against England. “I can understand a rough patch for a game or two, but this has been surprising,” Ashwin said.
“When you know the opposition is targeting you in a specific way, you need to either counter that delivery differently or avoid it altogether, forcing the bowler to adjust to your strengths.”
He emphasized that Suryakumar, given his experience and immense ability, needs to make strategic adjustments. “Suryakumar has transformed India’s T20 batting approach. But now, he must step back, reassess, and tweak his game,” Ashwin added.
Addressing Samson’s inconsistency in international cricket, Ashwin suggested that he take immediate corrective measures to prevent self-doubt from settling in. Citing legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar’s advice from the recent BCCI Naman Awards, Ashwin said, “Sachin Tendulkar mentioned that players must practice so many repetitions that their subconscious mind takes over.
“But if too much doubt clouds the subconscious, batting becomes an entirely different challenge,” he added.
Ashwin stressed that occasional failures in T20 cricket are inevitable, but the nature of dismissals is what truly matters. “As an experienced cricketer, I don’t just focus on someone failing in T20s. I analyze how they are getting out and what their decision-making looks like. These are quality players—they will work through it,” he said.
He further explained that in T20s, a player is often judged by their ability to handle pressure rather than maintain consistency. “T20 cricket is built on failures—you won’t always succeed playing safe, percentage-based cricket. That’s why I value players who can absorb pressure and win games. Those are the ones who deserve a longer run in the team,” Ashwin asserted.
Shifting focus to England, Ashwin expressed surprise at their ultra-aggressive approach across formats, suggesting it might be backfiring. “If I were England, I’d be really worried. They play Bazball in Tests, adopt an all-out approach in ODIs and T20s—it all sounds exciting,” he said.
“Yes, sometimes they pull off incredible wins. But from what I see, they’re losing more than they’re winning. That’s a serious concern,” he concluded.
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