Gautam Gambhir holds long talk with Sanju Samson before 5th T20I, explains reason behind his snub

The India vs Australia T20I series has taken a dramatic turn as Sanju Samson was yet again left out of the playing XI for the final match at The Gabba on Saturday (November 8). Before the toss, Sanju Samson was seen having a serious conversation with India head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Earlier, Sanju Samson was dropped for Jitesh Sharma in the fourth T20I after a series of poor batting performances, and now, for the series-decider, he was yet again kept on the bench despite the Men in Blue making one change for the final T20I at The Gabba.

Sanju Samson snubbed again for final T20I against Australia

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav has confirmed that Tilak Varma has been rested, making way for Rinku Singh to bolster their finishing line-up for the fifth and final T20I against Australia. Jitesh Sharma retained his place as the wicketkeeper-batter after a quick cameo in Melbourne.

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However, Samson was already told about the Indian team management’s decision in advance, raising serious concerns over the cricketer’s fate in the national side. Sanju is already out of the ODI setup, and now being ignored for the back-to-back games hints at a gloomy picture.

Gautam Gambhir’s long chat with Sanju Samson raises eyebrows

Before the toss, Gambhir and Samson were seen having an intense discussion at the Gabba nets. The talk revolved around the reason behind Samson’s sudden exclusion from the playing XI, especially after he was expected to play a key role in the five-match T20I series.

Samson’s continuous omission from India’s XI has triggered huge debates among fans. Some believe the team management is trying to test other players before the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, while others feel the Kerala captain has once again become a victim of India’s uncertain selection policy.

Long discussion between Gautam Gambhir & Sanju Samson 🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/xUrpGOnDzL

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) November 8, 2025

Samson had been backed under Gambhir’s new coaching setup, but suddenly his spot looks unstable. However, Gambhir reportedly explained that the decision was tactical, but Sanju’s face shows a different picture, especially with the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 on the horizon.

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Always good to win a bilateral series: Suryakumar Yadav ahead of T20I series decider

Meanwhile, Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav pointed out that winning bilateral series feels good, but finding the right team combination matters more. Suryakumar stressed that, apart from the openers, every batter needs to stay flexible with their batting position.

Suryakumar Yadav said at the toss, “All boxes were ticked in the last game; we just want to continue the same. Always good to win a bilateral series. At the same time, what combination you want is more important. Other than openers, this is one format where everyone has to be flexible with batting positions. One change—Tilak is resting; Rinku comes in.”