NEW DELHI: Struggling opener Sanju Samson received a strong show of backing from India bowling coach Morne Morkel on Tuesday, with the former South African pacer expressing confidence that the right-hander is just one innings away from turning around his lean patch. Samson has managed only 16 runs across three T20Is so far, with a highest score of 10, even as fellow top-order batters Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav have dominated New Zealand’s bowling attack.“Sanju is one knock away from getting that confidence, getting that form back. For us, building up to the World Cup it’s important for the guys to find that peak performance at the right time. He’s training well, he’s hitting the ball very well,” Morkel said on the eve of the fourth T20I here.
Despite the session being optional, Samson spent over 30 minutes honing his skills in the nets, taking on a range of bowlers including Axar Patel, Varun Chakravarthy, Abhishek and side-armer Raghu.After a brief period of rustiness, Samson began finding his rhythm, sending the ball racing to the far corners of the ACA-VDCA Stadium.The Kerala batter later engaged in an extended discussion with head coach Gautam Gambhir and batting coach Sitanshu Kotak on the sidelines, while Shreyas Iyer continued his own practice routine nearby. Both coaches were seen patiently offering guidance to the out-of-form batter.Morkel, however, played down concerns around Samson’s struggles, stressing that team success remained the priority over individual returns.“So, I think it’s just a matter of time for him to get his foot on the board. But the main focus is that the team is winning, and I think that’s important. We’re 3-0 up in this series at the moment, the boys are playing some very good cricket.“We’ve got a couple of games now before the start of the World Cup, and I have no doubt that Sanju will find his form,” added the South African.
