Hyderabad, October 15, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has acknowledged that Jasprit Bumrah is irreplaceable but expressed confidence in the emerging pace-bowling talent as India look to address their bowling challenges in the ongoing T20I series against the West Indies.
Bumrah was rested for the series following his participation in the Asian Games, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) managing the workload of its premier fast bowler. In his absence, India’s bowling attack has faced a stern test on batting-friendly pitches.
Speaking after India’s 24-run defeat in the fourth T20I at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium, Samson described Bumrah as a “once-in-a-generation” bowler but said other players were showing encouraging signs.
“There is no replacement for Jasprit Bumrah. He is a once-in-a-generation kind of bowler, and we are very lucky to have him. But we have had some really good talent coming along also,” Samson said.
He praised Arshdeep Singh for his performances and highlighted the impressive bowling of Prince Yadav in recent matches. Samson added that providing young bowlers with more opportunities and backing them consistently would help them improve.
Arshdeep suffered a blow to his left arm while batting in the second innings. Samson said the pacer was applying ice to his shoulder and expressed hope that he would recover in time for the fifth T20I on Saturday.
Samson also credited West Indies captain Shai Hope for his outstanding form during the tour. Hope has scored two centuries and a half-century in the four T20Is, following two centuries in the preceding ODI series.
“He is playing really well; we need to respect what he has been doing,” Samson said, praising Hope’s ability to score through conventional cricketing shots without taking excessive risks.
Defending India’s top order, Samson said one difficult outing should not overshadow the performances of Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan. Abhishek scored 29 off 24 balls in the fourth T20I after his 69-run knock in the previous match, while Samson backed Kishan’s consistency.
Samson identified Tilak Varma’s dismissal in the 17th over as the turning point, saying India had remained firmly in the chase while Varma and Nitish Reddy were batting together. He praised the young pair for handling pressure and keeping the required scoring rate under control before the partnership was broken.
FOLLOW NOW
