India’s Sanju Samson opens up about the tight schedule and reliance on experience as the team prepares for the upcoming T20I series against New Zealand, a crucial step towards the 2028 T20 World Cup.
IMAGE: Sanju Samson says India will have little time to prepare for the New Zealand T20I series. Photograph: BCCI/X
Key Points
- India’s T20I series against New Zealand begins on October 22, with only five days separating it from the West Indies series conclusion.
- Sanju Samson highlights the reliance on experience due to the tight schedule, allowing only one day for batting practice.
- Samson notes the need for quick adjustment to New Zealand’s vastly different conditions, planning to assess them within two or three balls.
- The upcoming series will serve as crucial preparation for players ahead of the 2028 T20 World Cup.
Only five days separate the conclusion of the West Indies series at home and beginning of the T20I series in New Zealand, leaving India opener Sanju Samson to rely on experience rather than preparation.
The five-match series in the shortest format against New Zealand begins on October 22.
Samson On Preparation Challenges
“To be very honest, with the way the schedule is structured these days, you don’t get much time to practice or prepare.
“That’s where your experience comes in. You try to stay in a good mental space and make the most of whatever time you get. We have just one day of batting practice,” Samson told the host broadcaster on the sidelines of the fifth T20I against the West Indies.
The conditions in New Zealand are vastly different from India, and Samson says it takes a bit of time to adjust to the conditions.
“We’ll reach there on the 20th, practice on the 21st, and play the match on the 22nd. So, we’ll try to carry forward the good things we’ve done here. It takes a little time to adjust to the conditions there, so we’ll take two or three balls to assess them. We’ll follow the things we’ve learned through experience and play while respecting the conditions,” he said.
The series in New Zealand will also be a good preparation for the players ahead of the 2028 T20 World Cup, which would be jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.
