From T20 World Cup heroes to 50-over regulars: the case for Samson and Kishan
Cricket has a short memory for some players and an impossibly long one for others. Sanju Samson walked off the Ahmedabad pitch as Player of the Tournament with three consecutive match-winning half-centuries behind him, and the question for Indian cricket right now is whether that form will count for anything when the ODI squad is next picked.
If the numbers are anything to go by, it should. Samson averages 56.66 in ODIs with a strike rate of 99.60 across 14 innings. That is a genuine top-order record. He scored 108 against South Africa at Paarl in December 2023 and hit another century in the Vijay Hazare Trophy earlier this season. And yet, when India named their squad for the ODI series against New Zealand in January 2026, Samson was nowhere in it. Rishabh Pant got the nod as second keeper behind KL Rahul instead.
Kishan has the record to match
Ishan Kishan's T20 World Cup was quietly impressive. He was picked ahead of Shubman Gill and delivered when it mattered, particularly against Pakistan. His ODI numbers are strong too: 24 innings, an average of 42.40, a strike rate above 102, and a double century against Bangladesh in Chattogram in December 2022 that remains the fastest in ODI history.
Kishan's road back was longer than most. He lost his central contract in February 2024 after being deemed unavailable for domestic cricket. The fallout was public and bruising. But he returned as Jharkhand's Ranji Trophy captain later that year, led the state to a first Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy title in 2025, and earned a recall to the T20 World Cup squad on sheer weight of runs. That comeback story should count for something when the ODI selectors next sit down.
The Rahul question
KL Rahul has been India's first-choice ODI wicketkeeper since the 2023 Asia Cup. He was there through the 2023 World Cup final, the 2025 Champions Trophy win, and he remains the steady hand that Gambhir's coaching staff trusts. Dislodging him will not be straightforward.
But Rahul turns 34 next month and will be 35 by the time the 2027 World Cup comes around. Gambhir has already said the team management expects to have a "blueprint" for that tournament ready by the end of IPL 2026. If Samson and Kishan dominate the IPL this season, the selectors will face a genuine dilemma.
What has to happen next
For Samson, the path is clear enough. He is 31, but his ODI average is the best of any Indian wicketkeeper in the current setup. The selectors need to give him a proper run rather than the sporadic chances he has been handed over the years. Three T20 World Cup half-centuries in a row should buy him at least that.
Kishan, at 27, has more time on his side but needs consistent exposure. He has not featured in an ODI since the 2023 World Cup. India are scheduled to play 24 ODIs between October 2025 and December 2026, which is plenty of opportunity if the door is opened.
The T20 World Cup was the showcase. The real audition for 2027 starts now, and Samson and Kishan have already passed the first test.
