Gautam Gambhir said he had a private conversation with Sanju Samson over his omission from India's T20I XI against England. However, the remark drew fan backlash, with many questioning the team's selection consistency despite Samson's recent T20 World Cup heroics.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir broke his silence on the omission of Sanju Samson from the playing XI in the ongoing T20I series against England. The Men in Blue suffered a humiliating and historic 125-run defeat in the 3rd T20I at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, July 7.
After the Men in Blue’s back-to-back defeats in the five-match T20I series against England, with the second match being a four-wicket loss at Old Trafford following the series opener being washed out due to rain, the pressure has intensified on the team management. Sanju Samson was brought back into focus after he was dropped from the playing XI after a 1-run dismissal in the first T20I.
Samson had a serious discussion with Gautam Gambhir after he was replaced by the 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who made his India debut in the second T20I at Old Trafford. Now, the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter’s exclusion from the playing XI has sparked widespread debate among fans and experts, who are questioning the consistency of the team management's selection policies.
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Gambhir on Samson’s Omission
Sanju Samson’s exclusion after scores of 5,0, and 1 has become a flashpoint for criticism, with head coach Gautam Gambhir facing questions about the transparency and consistency of India's selection process following the team's struggles in the ongoing England series.
Speaking at the press conference after a 125-run defeat against England in Southampton, Gambhir stated that he has already communicated with Samson about the reasoning behind the decision, characterizing the conversation as honest and straightforward.
“The clarity that should have been given to Sanju Samson, he has got from me. And that conversation is between a head coach and a player. The contents of that conversation are obviously not something I'll share with you,” the former India opener said.
“We are absolutely clear that what Sanju has done for India, especially during the World Cup, has been phenomenal. Sometimes, though, you also have to look at the form of a certain player. There is no hard and fast rule that he cannot make a comeback in this series,” he added.
Sanju Samson played a crucial role in Team India’s T20 World Cup title defence success in March this year, playing three crucial knocks in the Super 8 clash against West Indies, the semifinal against England, and the final against New Zealand, and won the Player of the Tournament award for his consistent run-scoring and match-winning contributions throughout the tournament.
Fans Demand Fair Treatment for Sanju Samson
Gautam Gambhir’s explanation on Sanju Samson’s omission from the playing XI for the second and third T20Is has failed to pacify fans and cricket enthusiasts, who have taken to their social media, especially X (formerly Twitter), to express their indignation.
Taking to their X handles, fans and cricket enthusiasts criticised Gambhir's ‘clarity’ remark, with many dismissing it as a vague explanation that failed to address why Samson was dropped after just three poor outings despite his Player of the Tournament-winning campaign in the T20 World Cup this year.
Several users argued that Samson was unfairly being forced into another ‘comeback,’ while other underperforming players continued to receive backing. Many also called for consistent selection standards, insisting that the issue was never Samson's ability to return, but why he was denied a fair run in the first place.
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.
Also Read: Sanju Samson To Be Dropped Again? BCCI Mulls Last-Minute India's Asian Games Squad Overhaul
