‘Consistency is overrated’: Ex-cricketer explains fine line between form and failure

Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara believes consistency is overrated for top-order batters in T20 cricket, backing Sanju Samson to regain form with one good innings ahead of India's upcoming multi-format tour of New Zealand.

"Consistency should be there, but for the top order, I think consistency is overrated in T20s," Pujara said while analysing Samson's fluctuating returns on JioHotstar's 'Out or Not Out', as quoted by news agency PTI.

"He is never out of form. The kind of player Sanju Samson has been in the T20 format; his form fluctuates. But it is always a matter of one innings. He plays one good innings, and he is back in form."

"So, you cannot say that this player is not in form. In the T20 format, you are bound to have failures. Who doesn't get out in T20s?" he added.

India recently ended their five-match T20I series against the West Indies in a 2-2 draw. They will begin their multi-format tour of New Zealand with the shortest format.

Pujara also expressed doubts over whether Samson and teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could feature together in India's playing XI in New Zealand. He said the conditions could require more all-rounders, leaving less room for specialist batters in the top order.

"Vaibhav playing every game seems a bit difficult in New Zealand because there you need more all-rounders, either a spin all-rounder or a seaming all-rounder. So, there you don't need a lot of batters, especially in the top order," he said.

"Either Sanju Samson can open or Vaibhav. I don't think both can be part of the playing XI in New Zealand conditions. So, Vaibhav will have to wait, but he will get opportunities."

However, Pujara said Sooryavanshi could still get a chance if the conditions or a player's fitness opened up a spot in the team. "If the spot opens up for him based on conditions or players' fitness, that's fine. But both Sanju and Vaibhav cannot be in the playing XI in New Zealand," he said.

Former India assistant coach Abhishek Nayar also backed Samson, saying the wicketkeeper-batter's place in the team would come under scrutiny after a few quiet games, but one big innings could silence the questions.

"Sanju plays with everyone's emotions because he won't score runs for two matches, and everyone starts raising questions," Nayar said.

Nayar added that Sooryavanshi might have to wait for his opportunities, with team balance and the need for a left-right batting combination likely to influence India's selection decisions.