Mon Feb 03 21:07:23 UTC 2025: **Sanju Samson Injured, Faces Extended Time Off**
MUMBAI, INDIA – Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson suffered a serious injury to his index finger during the fifth T20I match against England in Mumbai. The injury, caused by a Jofra Archer delivery, is expected to sideline him for at least a month.
Sources indicate Samson has a fractured finger. This rules him out of the Ranji Trophy quarterfinals and casts doubt on his participation in the early stages of the upcoming IPL season, which begins March 21st. He has reportedly returned to his hometown of Thiruvananthapuram for treatment and will need National Cricket Academy (NCA) clearance before resuming play. Recovery is estimated to take five to six weeks, meaning he will miss the Ranji Trophy quarter-finals scheduled for February 8-12. His participation in the IPL remains uncertain.
Samson’s performance in the T20I series against England was underwhelming, scoring only 51 runs across five matches with an average of 10.20 and a strike rate of 127.58. He was dismissed by Jofra Archer in the first three matches, and subsequently by Saqib Mahmood and Mark Wood.
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