'Both Abhishek and Samson scored and justified their selection' - Hanuma Vihari lauds Indian openers' performance vs Afghanistan

India completed a dominant three-match T20I series sweep against Afghanistan at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, with a 127-run victory in the final encounter. The series showcased strong performances from the opening pair, particularly Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who both delivered significant contributions across all three matches.

Hanuma Vihari assessed the performances of both openers following the series conclusion. He highlighted how the series represented a crucial opportunity for Samson, who had faced recent setbacks in his international career. Vihari noted that Samson had been excluded from India's England T20I assignment and was not selected in the Zimbabwe T20I series in July. The Afghanistan series gave Samson a chance to prove his worth at the highest level, with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting in the wings.

"This was an important series for Sanju Samson. Because Vaibhav was dropped and he got a chance, it was a do-or-die situation. It has been a classic story. He performs in such situations," Vihari said in a video on his YouTube channel.

"He has been playing international cricket for 11 years, and his career has been stop-and-start. He was the player of the tournament. Then he was dropped in England, not selected in the Zimbabwe series, and now he got a chance in this series," he added.

Samson's crucial opportunity after recent setbacks

Samson responded to the opportunity with consistent performances. In the opening T20I, he was dismissed for 10 off 8 balls, including two boundaries, when Azmatullah Omarzai struck with his opening delivery of the spell. However, Samson recovered strongly in subsequent matches. In the second T20I, he scored 57 off 21 balls, his biggest score since the World Cup. In the final T20I, Samson reached his fifty with two fours and four sixes, demonstrating his ability to construct an innings while batting alongside Abhishek.

Abhishek's explosive form and record-breaking century

Abhishek Sharma's performances throughout the series were particularly striking. In the first T20I, he scored a fifty that powered India to victory. In the second T20I, he played a blistering cameo. However, his form peaked in the final match, where he smashed a 34-ball 108 that included 11 sixes and nine fours. At 30 balls, this was the fastest T20I hundred against a Full-member team and the third-quickest overall.

Vihari acknowledged the contrasting trajectories of the two openers while emphasising their combined success in the series. He explained that Abhishek's consistent selection had been based on his overall game and recent form, whereas Samson's career had been marked by periods of exclusion and return. Despite these differences, both players delivered when given the opportunity against Afghanistan.

"It is going to be tough to drop Abhishek Sharma. In Ireland and England, he struggled a bit and did not score in Zimbabwe, but after this series, his spot at opening is definitely fixed. He was brilliant in this series. He is back in form," Vihari said.

"Maybe there is the age factor if we compare Abhishek and Samson. Samson has been coming in and out. But Abhishek is getting chances because of his game compared to Samson, otherwise, there is no comparison. But in this series, both of them scored runs and justified the selection," he added.

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Abhishek's Player of the Series award capped a remarkable turnaround for the young opener. His explosive batting style and ability to score quickly had made him a key figure in India's T20I setup following the Afghanistan series. The three-match sweep demonstrated India's dominance in the format, with both opening batsmen playing pivotal roles in the team's success across all three matches in Delhi.