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Former Indian all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has launched a scathing attack on the national selectors and the head coach Gautam Gambhir after Sanju Samson was left out of the T20I squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe.
The wicketkeeper-batter first lost his place in India's playing XI during the ongoing five-match T20I series in England after three low scores and has now also missed selection for the three-match series against Zimbabwe later this month.
This sparked a fresh debate among fans and experts over whether Samson has really been dropped or simply rested. Amid this, Abhishek Nayar weighs in on Sanju Samson vs Tilak Varma debate after England defeat.
Ravichandran Ashwin questions Sanju Samson's omission from India's T20I squad
There has been strong noise that Sanju Samson has been dropped from India’s T20I side because of his poor form with the bat, but Ravichandran Ashwin feels the bigger issue is whether all players are getting the same level of support from the team management.
The former off-spinner pointed to the example of young batter Sai Sudharsan, who was backed despite not making an immediate impact in Test cricket. He felt that if one player is given enough time to settle, then others should also receive fair opportunities before being judged.
Ravichandran Ashwin told Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel: “What did they say to give Sai Sudarshan a long rope in the Test match? They said that it's wrong to judge a player in four innings. So, they wanted to give Sai Sudarshan a long rope. Amazing. It's not even been a month. Where did Sanju Samson fall?”
Ravichandran Ashwin warns against different rules for different players
Ashwin admitted that every player cannot get the exact same number of matches, but there should be some balance in the way players are treated. The former Indian all-rounder warned that the different standards for different players can create uncertainty inside the dressing room.
He added, “See, you can't treat every player equally. But at least you gave Sai four chances. You can give Sanju three chances or two chances. Sometimes it will change. It won't always be even. But there must be some sort of balance. If different players are treated differently, it could increase insecurity within the team. And I am hoping this insecurity really doesn't spread through the team.”
🚨 Ashwin is also cooking Gautam Gambhir and BCCI:
— TEJASH 🚩 (@LoyleRohitFan) July 8, 2026
They said they wanted to give Sai Sudharsan a long rope in Test cricket and not judge him based on just 3–4 innings. So what has Sanju Samson done wrong?
At least be fair with everyone and apply the same standards to all… pic.twitter.com/yMe81fT3rA
Gautam Gambhir gives Sanju Samson clarity after Zimbabwe tour snub
Well, Samson's recent performances have certainly not been impressive. However, senior BCCI officials have made it clear that Samson has not been dropped from India's long-term plans. Since the Zimbabwe tour is being treated as a chance to test the team's bench strength, the selectors decided to hand a maiden call-up to Prabhsimran Singh after his impressive IPL 2026 campaign.
The team management wants to check another wicketkeeping option before bigger tournaments arrive. Reports have also said that Gautam Gambhir has already spoken to Samson and explained why he was not picked for the Zimbabwe tour and that they had not lost faith in him.
The Kerala star is still believed to be an important part of India's white-ball plans and is expected to travel with the team to Japan for the Asian Games 2026.
