Selector Criticism Over Sanju Samson's Omission

NEW DELHI: Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed strong disapproval of the national selectors' decision to leave out Sanju Samson from India's T20I squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour. Speaking on his YouTube show Ash Ki Baat, Ashwin called the move 'just unfair' and warned that constant team changes could undermine player confidence and damage India's T20 structure.

"I mean, what can I even say? It's just unfair. Just unfair. I don't agree with it," Ashwin said, questioning the logic behind dropping Samson after a brief slump. The wicketkeeper-batter, who was named Player of the Tournament at the 2024 T20 World Cup, scored 5, 0, and 1 in his last three innings against Ireland and in the opening T20I against England. He was replaced by 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi before being entirely omitted from the Zimbabwe-bound squad.

Impact on Team Morale

Ashwin argued that such decisions could push players toward self-preservation rather than team success. "If batters start thinking they'll be dropped for not scoring, they'll play only to protect their place, which is extremely dangerous," he warned. He cited the 'SKY incident' as a previous example of players becoming insular, a mindset he described as 'disastrous' for T20 cricket.

Selection Debate

The former spinner also addressed the debate over players like Prabhsimran Singh and Hunny Saini, who impressed in domestic leagues. "Nowhere is it written that 500 runs in a season guarantees an India call-up," Ashwin said, suggesting selectors should prioritize performance over form. He cited BR Sharad of Bengaluru Dragons and Hunny Saini as other deserving candidates for opportunities.

"Even now I'm saying, imagine Sanju gets another chance. He too will start thinking about himself. And you can't even say that's wrong," Ashwin concluded, urging the selectors to find a solution to the growing insecurity in the team.