India head coach Gautam Gambhir has defended the decision to leave Sanju Samson out of the playing XI after the team's 125-run defeat to England in the third T20I, stating that team selection is driven by current form rather than past achievements. While acknowledging Samson's outstanding performances during the World Cup, Gambhir said every player has to continually earn a place in the side.
The coach also disclosed that he had held private conversations with Samson to explain his position within the squad, adding that the details of those discussions would remain confidential between the two.
Samson's omission follows a difficult run with the bat. The wicketkeeper-batter managed scores of 5, 0 and 1 in recent T20Is against Ireland and England, a significant decline from the form that saw him dominate the World Cup. During the tournament, Samson struck three unbeaten half-centuries in the knockout stages and finished as the Player of the Tournament. With Ishan Kishan currently occupying the wicketkeeper's spot, Samson's chances depended largely on his ability to deliver runs at the top of the order, an area in which he has recently struggled.
His exclusion from the squad for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe, announced soon after he was benched for the England match, further fuelled speculation over his future. However, the BCCI described the decision as part of its workload management strategy and said the Zimbabwe series would be used to assess emerging players. The board also confirmed Samson's place in India's squad for the Asian Games, while officials indicated that he would likely not have featured in Zimbabwe even if he had been selected, making rest the preferred option.
India's ongoing transition under Gambhir and captain Shreyas Iyer has been marked by several bold selection calls, including handing a debut to young opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The team management's approach reflects an emphasis on long-term planning and experimentation despite recent setbacks, with India still searching for their first win on the UK tour. Gambhir has maintained that the strongest available XI will be chosen for every match, keeping the possibility of Samson's return alive for the remaining games of the England series.
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