Ajinkya Rahane backs Sanju Samson's return to India's top order

Former Indian batter Ajinkya Rahane has advocated for the return of Sanju Samson to India’s top-order batting lineup for the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan. Rahane suggests that the team should revert to the combination that contributed to India’s 2026 T20 World Cup victory, which featured Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan.

Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during the World Cup campaign, was previously dropped following a series of low scores during a tour of England. While 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has recently occupied an opening spot, Rahane believes the youngster should wait for his opportunity while the experienced trio is given another chance to strengthen the side.

The T20I series against Afghanistan is scheduled to begin at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.