"Now how are you going to react?" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson heading into IND vs ENG 2025 4th T20I

Former India player Aakash Chopra is eager to see how Sanju Samson responds to the potential short-ball barrage against him in the fourth T20I against England. He opined that the wicketkeeper-batter will have the additional burden of pressure, expectation and responsibility on him.

India have a 2-1 lead heading into the fourth game of the five-match series in Pune on Friday, January 31. However, their opener Samson hasn't yet fired with the bat, aggregating 34 runs at an average of 11.33 in three innings, falling prey to Jofra Archer on all three occasions.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra', the former India opener wondered how Samson would counter Archer's threat.

"Let's talk about Sanju Samson. It's now the fourth match. Jofra Archer will once come against you, and there will be added pressure, expectation and responsibility that now how are you going to react?" he said (10:50).

Chopra pointed out that the other England seamers will also likely employ a similar short-ball tactic against Samson.

"International cricket will repeatedly ask you the question if you get out in the same way to the same bowler. Then it seems like the game plan has spread like wildfire. Now everyone knows that. It's not necessary that Jofra only does that, Mark Wood, Brydon Carse and Jamie Overton can also do that," he observed.

The cricketer-turned-commentator added that Samson's retort to the visitors' bowling plans and field placements will be keenly watched.

"Whoever will come will bowl bouncers. He will try to push Samson back. They will keep a fielder at deep square leg always and keep the third man in. They will start with fine leg and square leg back to see what happens. So if the opposing team comes with that game plan, I am extremely eager to see Sanju's response to that," Chopra elaborated.

Samson has been dismissed while attempting the pull shot off Archer's bowling in all three games. He was caught at deep square leg in the first two matches and at mid-on in the third T20I.

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"I really want him to score runs" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson has a massive fan following. [P/C: Getty]

In the same video, Aakash Chopra expressed his liking for Sanju Samson and hoped that the Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper would be back among the runs in Friday's game.

"I know Sanju Samson's fans, who are huge in numbers, feel that I don't like him. Absolutely rubbish, I like him, and I love the way he bats, but it's my duty to speak if I see some fault. So I really want him to score runs. However, I am equally keen to see how he plays when it seems like the opposing team has come to know about his weakness," he said (11:40).

Samson has amassed 844 runs at a strike rate of 152.07 in 36 T20I innings. He had struck three centuries in five innings before the England series but has a best effort of 26 in the last three games.