Sanju Samson etched his name into Indian cricket history by becoming only the fifth Indian batter to score 1,000-plus runs as an opener in Men’s T20 Internationals. Samson breached the landmark with an attacking knock (57 off 22) in the second T20I against Afghanistan at Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi on Tuesday, September 15.
Entering the second T20I with outside noise intensifying over competition at the top of the order, Samson produced a clinical masterclass in aggressive strokeplay. The 31-year-old Samson joined an exclusive list of Indian openers featuring Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shikhar Dhawan, and Abhishek Sharma. Chasing a target of 160 runs for victory, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter launched an unrelenting assault inside the powerplay alongside Abhishek Sharma.
The Spin Assault: He particularly targeted Afghanistan’s vaunted spin department, finding boundaries at will before finally falling to Rashid Khan. That strike rate is the second-highest among the five Indians to have crossed the mark, behind only Abhishek Sharma. He also has three T20I hundreds, all as an opener.
The Innings: 57 runs off 22 balls (7 fours, 4 sixes) at a strike rate of 259.09. The Partnership: An 88-run opening stand off just 38 deliveries that took the chase completely away from the visitors within the first six overs. The innings lifted Samson to 1,026 runs as an opener from 34 innings, at an average of 32.06 and a strike rate of 181.59. Indian Openers With 1,000+ T20I Runs
However, his move to the top of the order changed his T20I career. Opening in the powerplay has helped Samson make the most of the fielding restrictions. He has combined his natural strokeplay with an aggressive approach.
Player Total Runs as Opener Strike Rate Rohit Sharma 3,750 143.02 KL Rahul 1,826 136.98 Shikhar Dhawan 1,759 126.36 Abhishek Sharma 1,726 191.56 Sanju Samson 1,026 181.59 For years, Samson’s international career was marked by limited chances, changing batting positions and high expectations. With a T20I opening strike rate of over 180, Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament at the 2026 T20 World Cup, has answered questions about his consistency and shown why he is one of the most dangerous opening batters in the format.
