He might have redeemed himself with two late catches, one particularly exceptional because it was down the leg-side in the final over under great pressure, but Sanju Samson must be aware that he is treading a very thin line when it comes to Twenty20 Internationals.

The seasoned Kerala batter, 29, has been around for a long time – he made his T20I debut nine years back and has played 278 T20 games in all – but has somehow consistently failed to translate his IPL form to the international level.

Perhaps there is a reason why, in nine years, he has only represented the country 30 times. Samson’s supporters, running into the millions, might point out that his appearances have been sporadic and he hasn’t got a long run like many others; while there is merit to that line of thought, it is imperative in an ecosystem like India’s that one must make the most of every opportunity that comes their way.

On Tuesday at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, for instance, Samson had a great chance to make a serious claim for a consistent spot in the T20I set-up. With Rishabh Pant rested, Samson donned the wicketkeeping gloves; he was also pushed up to the No. 3 slot, generally occupied by skipper Suryakumar Yadav, so that he would get enough balls to showcase his undisputed skills. As it turned out, he disappointed on both counts.

His innings lasted a mere four deliveries when he succumbed to pressure, trying to hit his way out of trouble after playing three dot balls. His four-ball zero was the second time in three nights that he had failed to trouble the scorers; it was also the third time in five innings that he had been dismissed without scoring in T20Is. Surely, not the returns one would expect of a batter who is a completely different beast when it comes to the IPL.

Samson also had a largely forgettable day behind the stumps, reprieving Kusal Mendis on 12 and 20, mistakes that could have been decisive on another night. Fortunately for India, Sri Lanka appear to have forgotten what it is to get over the line, so Samson’s errors didn’t prove costly with India sneaking home through the Super Over.

When he is in full flow, like he often is with his IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals, Samson makes batting look remarkably easy. He has all the strokes and more, and he seldom hits a ball in anger. His timing and placement have sent past masters into throes of ecstasy and triggered envy in many contemporaries who are in awe of the skills and time at his disposal.

At the international stage, though, Samson appears to freeze. That’s hard to explain; he treats bowlers of equal, if not greater, quality with consummate authority elsewhere, but as if gripped by stage fright, he has found country vs country battle a vexing, unsolvable puzzle. Occasionally, he produces an effort of subliminal class, but those are too few and far between to suggest a turning of the corner.

Especially in T20 cricket, batters aren’t necessarily measured by averages alone; it’s the impact of knocks that attract greater value. Samson’s average of 19.30 is complemented by a strike rate of 131.36, not shabby by itself but which doesn’t count for a great deal when the larger perspective is considered.

His only meaningful contribution for India in the last six months was 58 against Zimbabwe in Harare a fortnight ago. Either side of that, he has flattered to deceive. In January against Afghanistan in Bengaluru, he walked in after four overs with India on 21 for three and perished first ball, essaying an ungainly pull which he only top-edged to cover. It was symptomatic of many Samson dismissals in past T20Is, marked by the tendency to try too much too soon with little deference to the game situation or the conditions.

On Sunday in Pallekele, he received a good first ball from Maheesh Theekshana that snaked through the gate and cleaned him up. That can happen to anyone; Tuesday’s duck was less edifying. Kept quiet for three deliveries by Chamindu Wickramasinghe, he sought to shed the shackles by making room and dancing down the track; his attempt at going over cover ending with a miscue gobbled up by deep point. It was a poor choice of shot when India had just lost a wicket, and when he was pushed up to make an impact. Shot selection has been Samson’s bugbear while playing T20s for the country for a long time. Might he himself be worrying that the sands of time are running out on him?

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