Wasim Jaffer rules out Sanju Samson as a backup opener for the 2027 ODI World Cup

When you sit down with a cricketing veteran like Wasim Jaffer, you know the conversation will veer away from headlines and head straight into the nitty‑gritty of technique and temperament. In his recent appearance on Doordarshan’s The Great Indian Cricket Show, Jaffer was pretty candid about Sanju Samson’s future in the 50‑over format.

He didn’t mince words – “I do not see Sanju Samson as a backup opener for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2027,” he said, adding that the Kerala wicket‑keeper‑batter “has a slight issue of consistency”. It’s a gentle way of saying that, while Samson can be a fireworks display on the field, the long‑haul nature of ODI cricket demands something a bit steadier.

Now, don’t get us wrong – Samson’s numbers are impressive in short bursts. In 16 ODIs he’s accumulated 510 runs at a juicy 56.66 average, chalking up three centuries and a half‑century. Yet Jaffer points out that those three big scores are interspersed with several low‑output innings, and that irregularity could hurt a team that needs a reliable 30‑plus run contributor every day.

Contrast that with his T20 résumé. In 66 matches he’s piled up 1,432 runs at 27.01, with three T20I hundreds and six fifties. The icing on the cake? He was the Player of the Tournament at this year’s T20 World Cup, rattling off 321 runs in five games, including three back‑to‑back half‑centuries that helped India lift the trophy.

Jaffer’s verdict, then, is almost a case of “play to your strengths”. “Sanju should be left alone to play T20 cricket,” he suggested, implying that his aggressive stroke‑play is a better fit for the faster‑paced, 20‑over showdown rather than the measured grind of a 50‑over innings.

Who, then, does Jaffer think should wear the opening gloves for the World Cup? He named Yashasvi Jaiswal as a shoo‑in – the youngster’s textbook technique and knack for rotating the strike make him an obvious pick. Sai Sudharsan earned a nod too; the Tamil Nadu talent, Jaffer argued, “has the technique for 50‑over cricket, rotates the strike well, and plays very orthodox cricket.” He also mentioned the ever‑reliable Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad, both of whom already enjoy a regular spot in India’s white‑ball set‑up.

In Jaffer’s view, the secret sauce of a successful ODI opener is the ability to keep the scoreboard ticking, much like Virat Kohli did for years – steady, calculated, and never a wild swing at every ball. “You need that strike rotation,” he said, “and these names are better equipped to succeed.”

So, for now, the conversation around Samson’s role will likely stay in the T20 realm, while the selectors keep an eye on Jaiswal, Sudharsan, Gill and Gaikwad to craft the line‑up that will chase glory in 2027.