Belfast: Manjrekar warns Sanju Samson after poor show against Ireland

By Rohan Gupta — 27 June 2026 — 3 min read

Samson’s performance under scrutiny

Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar has issued a warning to Sanju Samson, stating that he cannot afford many failures, especially with young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi vying for a spot. This comes after India‘s defeat in the opening T20I match against Ireland in Belfast on Friday.

India, under new T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, lost by 34 runs in the first of a two-game series. The loss has led to increased discussions about whether 15-year-old Sooryavanshi should make his international debut in the second and final T20I, scheduled for Sunday at the same venue.

In the series opener, the Indian team management chose to retain the opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who were key players in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign. Sooryavanshi remained on the bench for this match.

Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India’s successful T20 World Cup earlier this year, did not perform well against Ireland, managing only five runs from four deliveries before being dismissed.

Competition for opening spots

Speaking on Sony Sports Network after India’s defeat, Manjrekar highlighted the growing competition for places at the top of the batting order. He emphasized that both Samson and Abhishek Sharma need to be vigilant.

Manjrekar specifically stated, “But Sanju Samson needs to be careful because Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is breathing down his and Abhishek Sharma’s necks.” This indicates the pressure on the current openers due to Sooryavanshi’s impressive domestic and IPL seasons.

Sooryavanshi earned his place in the national squad after a remarkable IPL 2026 campaign. He was the Most Valuable Player and Orange Cap winner for the Rajasthan Royals (RR), scoring 776 runs in 16 innings with a strike rate of 237.30.

Before joining the senior national team for the series in Ireland, Vaibhav represented India A in a one-day tri-nation A series in Sri Lanka. After modest scores in the round-robin stage, he delivered a significant performance in the final against Sri Lanka A, scoring 94 runs off 29 balls, which included an 11-ball fifty. This knock helped India A secure a 66-run victory and clinch the title.

Manjrekar’s assessment of Sooryavanshi’s impact

Despite acknowledging Sooryavanshi’s talent, Manjrekar expressed caution regarding the immediate impact the youngster might have had in the opening game. He suggested that the conditions in Belfast and the nature of the chase would have been challenging.

Manjrekar explained that the difficult chase required an explosive start and sustained momentum, making the task tough regardless of who opened the innings. He noted that Sooryavanshi might have performed slightly better than Abhishek, who scored 50 runs off 20 balls, but the target was ultimately too large.

He also pointed out that Sooryavanshi had faced similar challenges in the tri-series in Dambulla, where hitting sixes consistently proved difficult. While he believes Sooryavanshi could have made a difference in the Powerplay, Manjrekar maintained that there is currently no vacancy at the very top of India’s batting order.

Manjrekar remarked, “Middle order, there is some place there, but at the top, I don’t think there is any place.” India will aim to level the series when they play Ireland in the second and final T20I on Sunday, June 28.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Rohan Gupta

Sports Reporter