Suresh Raina's Clear Stance On Sanju Samson's Form, Picks India's Top 4 For T20 World Cup 2026

As the 2026 T20 World Cup approaches, former India stalwart and World Cup-winner Suresh Raina has thrown his weight behind Sanju Samson, calling for the team management to show the same level of patience with the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter as they once did with captain Suryakumar Yadav. Despite Samson's recent lean patch -- averaging less than 20 since January 2025 -- Raina believes the wicket-keeper batter's "class" and ability to handle both pace and spin make him an indispensable asset for the defending champions.

Raina drew a direct parallel between Samson's current struggles and the period where Suryakumar Yadav faced scrutiny over his consistency.

"He hasn't scored runs in almost one year. But still, the captain and coach were backing him," Raina noted during a chat with NDTV on the sidelines of World Legends Pro T20 League, referring to Surya. "I think it's the same story with Sanju. If he gets a chance, he'll definitely do well."

Raina emphasized that Samson's experience and past performances, particularly his centuries in South Africa, prove he belongs at the highest level. He argued that the "top four" will be the engine room that determines whether India posts daunting totals of 190 or 210.

Suresh Raina on India's Top 4

A significant portion of Raina's analysis focused on the "Top 4" structure, which he believes will dictate India's success. He argued that the engine room of the batting order determines whether India posts par scores or unreachable totals of 210.

Raina is particularly keen on the Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan partnership. He praised their "fearless" intent, noting that they are capable of chasing 150 in just 10 overs. "The way Ishan and Abhishek are playing... they show intent from the first ball," Raina remarked.

Raina highlighted the tactical advantage of having a left-right combination at the top. If a wicket falls, the transition to Suryakumar Yadav at number 4 (with Samson opening with Abhishek) keeps the pressure on the bowlers.

For Raina, the role of the top four isn't just to survive, but to capitalise on a good start. He believes their performance in the first six overs sets the "tempo" for the specialists coming in later.

With the tournament being co-hosted in the sub-continent, Raina highlighted that the middle overs (7-14) will be dominated by "mystery spinners" and "width spinners." This is where the combination of Suryakumar Yadav, Rinku Singh, and Hardik Pandya becomes lethal.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Suresh Raina Sanju Samson T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket