Former India captain Kris Srikkanth has questioned the team management over the different treatment of Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma in T20I cricket. The cricketer-turned-commentator pointed out that Sanju was dropped after three poor innings, while Abhishek has continued to receive opportunities.
Abhishek failed again in the second T20I against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday, July 25. The left-hander managed eight runs off eight balls after scoring one off eight in the series opener. However, India registered a 90-run victory to seal the three-match series with one game remaining.
Why Is Abhishek Sharma Getting a Long Rope? - Kris Srikkanth Questions Team Management
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth questioned the team management's selection policy. He pointed out that Sanju Samson was the Player of the Tournament in the 2026 T20 World Cup but lost his place after a few poor innings.
“From the World Cup, his (Abhishek’s) international track record has not been very good except for a few knocks. Samson was the MVP of the World Cup. Why does he not get the chance, and Abhishek gets chances like this? It is a very valid question. Abhishek is getting a long rope; then why not Samson? Why is this happening with one player and not with the other?" Srikkanth said.
Abhishek Sharma scored 141 runs in eight matches at an average of 17.62 during the 2026 T20 World Cup, with 52 runs coming in the final. His struggles continued in England, where he managed 131 runs in five T20Is at an average of 26.20.
I Am Concerned for Abhishek Sharma - Kris Srikkanth
Kris Srikkanth also said that he was concerned about Abhishek Sharma's form. He advised the left-handed opener to spend more time at the crease before playing attacking shots.
“I am concerned for Abhishek Sharma. I don’t know what is happening with him all of a sudden. I hope he comes good. He has to find another way of scoring runs. Or the other way out is to probably cool down for a few balls. He is one guy who can always make up. You play at 100 strike rate for a while and then take it to 200 rather than throwing it away," he said.
Abhishek's dismissal in the second T20I against Zimbabwe was the fifth straight innings in which he failed to score 20 or more. He has lost his wicket inside the powerplay in both matches of the ongoing series.
Sanju Samson's Limited Opportunities Raise Questions
Sanju Samson was rested for the ongoing T20I series against Zimbabwe after a disappointing tour of Ireland and England. India struggled during that tour, losing six of their seven white-ball matches, while one game ended without a result due to rain.
During the five-match T20I series against England, Sanju was dropped after scoring one run in the opening match. The team management brought in Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, but the youngster managed three low scores before making way for Sanju again.
Sanju returned for the fifth and final T20I and scored a quick 27 off 14 balls before being dismissed by Sam Curran. Despite his outstanding performances in the 2026 T20 World Cup, the wicketkeeper-batter has continued to move in and out of India's T20I setup.
