Not so long ago, the wicketkeeper-batsman was a regular in the team. However, the situation for him has completely changed since Shubman Gill returned to the T20I team during this year’s Asia Cup. Before Gill returned, Sanju Samson opened the innings for India in the shortest format of the match and had seemingly cemented his place.
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Sanju Samson became a regular in the Indian T20 lineup after Rohit Sharma’s retirement in 2024. He showed his class by scoring three centuries in the second half of 2024. In 13 innings in the last two years, he scored 417 runs.
However, in recent times, things have not gone as expected for the Kerala star. To make room for Gill in the squad, he was demoted to mid-table and now doesn’t even find a place in the playing XI. He was once again dropped from the team as India took on South Africa in the first T20I on Tuesday (December 9).
It was the fourth time in the last six T20Is since the Asia Cup that Samson had to make way for Jitesh Sharma in the playing XI. The way things are currently unfolding, it won’t be a surprise if Samson struggles to get back into the playing squad anytime soon.
Sanju Samson’s place in the Indian squad was questioned:
While Sanju Samsons is struggling to find a place in the squads, former Kolkata Knight Riders team director Joy Bhattacharjya has said there is no point in keeping him in the squad if he does not open the innings. He stated that it would make more sense to pick Rishabh Pant as the backup wicketkeeper as he has experience batting in the middle order.
“If you are not going to field Sanju, there is really no point in keeping him. You might as well keep Rishabh Pant, who is used to batting at 4, 5, 6, because Sanju Samson has proven himself. He has scored three centuries at the top and has done very well for you there.
“If you have restored that spot and Shubman has taken it, then your goalkeeper has to be a finisher, and that is Jitesh. I think India have gone with that and decided that this is the process. In that case, I would use a second finisher-keeper as a backup because it makes more sense to go that route than letting Sanju get hit out of position. There is no point.” Bhattacharjya told Cricbuzz.
Former South Africa captain Shaun Pollock, who was part of the same panel, also shared his views on the situation. The Proteas bigwigs pointed out that Gill has been elevated to the ‘Virat Kohli – Rohit Sharma’ fold and he would always be preferred over Samson.
“Yes, Sanju got a raw deal. But you know, those opportunities are often created because people are injured or rested, whatever it may be, and players get up and perform. I guess you have to look at Shubman Gill from a different perspective now. I think he’s almost elevated to the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. And when they got back into teams, where did they go? They went back to their positions. It wasn’t a matter of taking them down,” said Pollock.
“I think what he showed, even in that Test series in England, is that he is the number one, isn’t he, in terms of batting? So I understand the fact that he was the man in possession, and with the status he has, it’s difficult for Sanju because he has played so well and he hasn’t disappointed when he has had the opportunity. It’s just team dynamics.
“If Shubman comes back, and I am happy that he has recovered from his neck injury, I think he is the best player, so he will go to the top. And you also look at the partnership he has built with Abhishek over the years. They know each other’s game very well and bounce off each other nicely.” he added.
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