Former India spinner Ravi Ashwin has criticised T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav and wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson for their lackadaisical approach in recently-concluded five-T20I series against England. Samson managed just 51 runs in the series with a highest of 26 while SKY could score only 28 runs in five games with a best of 14. India, however, won the series 4-1.
Ashwin not pleased with SKY, Samson
"Same ball, same field, same shot, same mistake, same dismissal. I can understand it happening in one or two games, but this is surprising," Ashwin on his YouTube channel.
"When you know a tactic is being used against you, it becomes your responsibility to find a new answer. It is very surprising from both players," said the recently retired offie.
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"Surya is a very experienced guy. He was part of the change of guard for Indian cricket in batting. But I think it's high time he changes his approach a little," he added.
"For Samson, the mind will be playing tricks. If there are many questions in your head, it gets difficult," the spinner opined.
Samson, who has become a regular fixture at the top post the World Cup win in 2024, has played 17 matches since Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli's retirement from T20Is and scored 487 runs at a strike rate of 171.
While the wicketkeeper-batter has been able to score one fifty and three hundreds in those games including two consecutive ones, he has failed to enter double digit figure in seven of those matches with four ducks as well.
SKY, on the other hand, has failed even more - scoring just 261 runs at a strike rate of 160 with two fifties in 16 matches since the T20 World Cup victory. The India skipper last scored a 25+ runs in an innings in October 2024 against Bangladesh in October 2024.