New Delhi: Indian wicketkeeper Sanju Samson, who has recorded scores of 26 and five in the first two T20I matches against England, was observed on Monday participating in a focused practice session in preparation for the third T20I. He worked on his technique for handling bouncers while using plastic balls on a cement surface. Samson arrived early for this practice session to get some additional time to refine his skills ahead of the third match in the five-match series.
Samson, who faced dismissal from England bowler Jofra Archer due to a short ball in the initial two matches, was accompanied by new batting coach Sitanshu Kotak and throwdown experts.
Samson, equipped with padding, immediately headed to the Saurashtra Cricket Association nets to refine his technique for facing short-pitched deliveries, according to PTI. He practiced for approximately 45 minutes on a cement surface, where he received plastic balls to work on his pull and hook shots.
Samson worked on his delivery skills with an unusual fuller ball delivered by the throwdown specialists. In addition to practicing the pull and hook shots, he also focused on the ramp shot and the cut.
England fast bowlers Archer and Mark Wood have presented some challenges for Indian openers Samson and Abhishek Sharma due to their speed and capacity to generate bounce. The Indian wicketkeeper has reportedly been determined to address these issues.
Following the thorough practice session in the nets, Samson spent an additional 30 minutes batting on the main square, with particular attention on the rising delivery.
Samson enjoyed an impressive series in South Africa late last year, achieving two centuries in four T20 matches. He also registered a century in a home T20I against Bangladesh in 2024. Overall, he concluded the previous year with 436 runs from 12 matches, averaging 43.6.
Samson recently made headlines after being excluded from the Champions Trophy, as the selectors chose KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant as the two wicketkeepers instead.
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