06/07/2026
Sanju Samson’s exclusion from India’s T20I squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe series amounts to a serious error in judgment. As Player of the Tournament in the 2026 T20 World Cup triumph, he stood out as the decisive force. His explosive batting in the knockout stages proved instrumental in securing the title. Samson delivered a match-winning 97 not out against West Indies to book a semi-final spot. He followed that with 89 runs against England in the semi-final and another 89 in the final against New Zealand.
It is fair to note his struggles in the recent games against England. Even so, dropping him abruptly after these standout contributions ignores the need for stability and genuine backing. Why discard a player who rose to the occasion on the biggest stage for a brief dip in form? Such reactive calls damage morale in the dressing room and expose a lack of long-term vision. Selectors must reward proven impact at crucial moments rather than yield to short-term pressures that undermine consistency in team building.
