ENG vs IND: Chants of 'We Want Sanju' After Team India’s 125-Run Defeat in 3rd T20I Goes Viral (WATCH)

Following India's record 125-run T20I defeat to England, fans chanted "We Want Sanju" as the team left the stadium. The demand for Sanju Samson's return quickly spread across social media, with many questioning the selection policy and calling for equal treatment of all players.

Team India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson became the center of a growing fan movement following the team's historic 125-run defeat to England in the third T20I at Trent Bridge in Southampton on Wednesday.

The Men in Blue, led by Shreyas Iyer, suffered the heaviest defeat in their T20I history, marking the first time the team had lost by a margin of 100 or more runs in the shortest format at the international level. Chasing a 202-run target, the visitors were bowled out for a mere 76 in 11.4 overs, with none of the Indian batters managing to score 20 or more runs.

Jofra Archer (3/29) and Josh Tongue (4/28) together picked seven wickets, effectively dismantling the Indian batting lineup and ensuring that the visitors never stood a chance at a competitive chase.

Demand for Sanju Samson’s Recall Intensifies

Following Team India’s humiliating 125-run defeat at the hands of England, Sanju Samson was brought back into focus, not by official selection, but by a chorus of disgruntled fans who made their feelings known directly to the team management.

Samson was dropped from the playing XI for the second and third T20Is after his 1-run dismissal in the series opener, and the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was brought in as a high-potential replacement. Despite dropping the Kerala cricketer, Team India has struggled significantly, failing to find stability in the series, losing both matches at Old Trafford and Trent Bridge.

As Team India boarded the bus after the defeat at Trent Bridge, the fans directed their vocal frustrations toward the team management and players, with the persistent, rhythmic chants of "We Want Sanju" echoing through the stadium. This raw display of emotions put mounting pressure on coach Gautam Gambhir and skipper Shreyas Iyer, as the team's experimental lineup continues to falter.

‘We want Sanju’ chants outside the stadium when team India leaves. pic.twitter.com/bzqljBakTG

— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) July 8, 2026

'we want sanju'... बीसीसीआई अधिकारियों और खिलाड़ियों के सामने गूंजा नारा

बीसीसीआई अधिकारियों और भारतीय खिलाड़ियों की मौजूदगी में फैंस ने 'we want sanju' के नारे लगाए. सोशल मीडिया पर वायरल हो रहे वीडियो में बड़ी संख्या में फैंस संजू सैमसन के समर्थन में नारेबाजी करते नजर आ रहे… pic.twitter.com/DWq4eMmfYT

— zingabad (@zingabad) July 8, 2026

Sanju Samson, who was dropped from the India squad for the T20I series against Zimbabwe, has found himself sidelined despite winning the Player of the Tournament award during India's 2026 T20 World Cup title-winning campaign in March this year.

Following a lean patch of form, managing just six runs across three matches during the UK tour, the selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, opted to exclude him from the squad entirely for the Harare leg of the tour, choosing instead to blood new talent alongside established figures.

‘Same Scrutiny for Everyone’: Fans Demand Fair Treatment for All Players

The chants of fans demanding Sanju Samson’s return to the playing XI for the remaining two T20Is against England have triggered a debate on social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), with fans and cricket enthusiasts voicing their strong disapproval of the team's current selection strategy.

Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts expressed overwhelming support for Sanju Samson, with many questioning the team management's decision to drop the wicketkeeper-batter after just one failure. Several users argued that the same standards of accountability should be applied to other players, not just Samson.

Many also pointed to the loud ‘We Want Sanju’ chants as proof of his immense fan following and claimed the public reaction reflected growing dissatisfaction with the team's selection policy following the crushing defeat.

Yes ofcourse 
We want sanju back, how can you forget his performance under pressure in back to back knockout matches in 2024 world cup

— cricket_update (@Abhishek850977) July 8, 2026

Looks like the crowd just turned the stadium into a Bollywood trailer, complete with a dramatic exit cue.

— tino__ (@luckyrajs97) July 8, 2026

Exactly the two people who needed to hear that! One who took the decision, and the other who should’ve been the one out..

— Budhudu (@PrinceMercuryMD) July 8, 2026

The loudest voice after the match wasn't from the dressing room—it was from the fans 😵‍💫☠️

— Controversy☠️ (@Bluntfindings) July 8, 2026

Sanju absolutely deserves the chance actually sanju ko or ishan ko captain bana na tha

— TrueeeCricket🐐 (@TrueeeCricketer) July 8, 2026

Sanju absolutely deserves the chance actually sanju ko or ishan ko captain bana na tha

— TrueeeCricket🐐 (@TrueeeCricketer) July 8, 2026

If Sanju Samson is being dropped over poor form, then the same standard should apply to everyone. Shreyas Iyer, Tilak Varma, Ishan Kishan any player who isn't performing should face the same scrutiny. Why is Sanju the only one constantly under the scanner?

— The Silent Critic (@Silent_Critic20) July 8, 2026

Sanju Samson's fanbase is something else. The support never seems to fade

— Jignesh (@jig_corp) July 8, 2026

Those chants say everything about how much fans want to see Sanju play.

— Shantun Singh Parmar (@ParmarShantun) July 8, 2026

Everyone knows apart from the team management. Sanju Samson's fan base is amazing. The way he carried himself, the perceived injustice all played a role in it.

— Sri (@steel_ha) July 8, 2026

Fans should be created naturally..no PR team can create this kind of support.. after Sachin,dhoni,Virat,Rohit it is Samson who has natural fans because of skill, character, behaviour and background.

— Vaisakh Balan (@VaisakhBalan) July 8, 2026

In his T20I career, Sanju Samson has amassed 1405 runs, including 3 centuries and 6 fifties, at an average of 27.01 and a strike rate of 155.42 in 65 matches. It remains to be seen whether Samson will return to the playing XI for the remaining two T20Is against England, as the Men in Blue hope to salvage pride and bridge the series gap as they head into the penultimate clash at the County Ground in Bristol.