Sanju Samson is set to be sidelined from cricket for at least five to six weeks after suffering a blow to his right index finger during the fifth T20I against England at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
The injury occurred just two balls after he smashed the first delivery of the game for a six, when a sharp Jofra Archer bouncer struck him flush on the right glove.
According to reports, Samson has fractured his finger, ruling him out of the ongoing Ranji Trophy. He is expected to make his return directly in the 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), where he will lead the Rajasthan Royals.
“Samson has fractured his right index finger. It will take five to six weeks for him to resume proper net sessions. So, there is no chance of him playing the Ranji Trophy quarter-final for Kerala (vs Jammu & Kashmir) in Pune from February 8-12. In all likelihood, his comeback will be in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals,” a BCCI source shared.
The report also noted that the swelling in Samson’s finger worsened over time. Despite continuing to bat for a few more deliveries, he was eventually dismissed in a manner similar to his previous four outings in the series—rushed by a short ball and finding the deep square leg fielder.
He did not take the field in the second innings, with Dhruv Jurel replacing him as wicketkeeper.
Samson had a disappointing T20I series, managing just 51 runs in five innings. With India not scheduled to play any T20Is for the next six months, his absence won’t impact the national team’s plans.
He will now focus on regaining full fitness ahead of IPL 2025, where he will look to make a strong comeback as Rajasthan Royals’ captain.