Sanju Samson once again found himself out of India’s playing XI, this time for the first T20I against South Africa, and the decision has raised fresh questions about where he stands in the team’s long-term plans. Despite his talent, Samson’s opportunities have dwindled ever since Shubman Gill cemented his place at the top of the order. With Gill now a central figure in the T20I setup, Samson’s preferred slot as an opener has effectively shut. Compounding the issue is Jitesh Sharma’s emergence as a finishing wicketkeeper-batter, a role Samson has rarely been tested in. According to Ravichandran Ashwinthis dynamic has pushed Samson further down the pecking order.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Ashwin said, “Before the match there was a lot of talk about why Sanju wasn’t playing. But once Shubman Gill came into the side as vice-captain, it was always going to be tough for Sanju to get a place.” Ashwin pointed out that Samson hasn’t had enough game time at No.5, which is precisely where Jitesh fits in best. “If you want to play Sanju, you have to use him at No.3, especially against spin,” he added. Ashwin also took a moment to applaud Hardik Pandyawho produced a blistering unbeaten 59 off 27 balls to rescue India from a precarious position. India had crashed to five wickets down for almost nothing before Hardik’s counterattack pushed the total beyond 170. “Hardik looked incredible. It didn’t feel like he was returning from an injury. The way he hits spin with that bat swing… I would trade anything for that,” Ashwin said. He added that Hardik’s clarity and confidence make him irreplaceable in India’s current setup. “Right now, there is no replacement for Hardik in India. I hope we eventually find someone who can fill that role, but as of today, there’s no one like him,” he concluded.
