Does Samson's half-century secure his T20I future?

Sanju Samson scored 57 off 22 balls in the second T20I against Afghanistan—a sharp answer to the doubters who questioned his selection. He'd been chosen ahead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the second match running, and this time he didn't waste the chance.

Former India batter Subramaniam Badrinath wants Samson locked in until year's end. The frustration behind that call is obvious: Abhishek Sharma, Samson's opening partner, has gotten more rope despite sitting in the same series with identical early chances. Two explosive games back-to-back against Afghanistan suggests something's clicking, but the BCCI hasn't signaled whether this experiment extends into the West Indies series starting October 6. That tour will be the real test—whether Samson's recent form hardens into a settled role or gets swallowed by the next selection cycle.