Former India and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) batter Subramaniam Badrinath has questioned Gautam Gambhir’s decision to drop Sanju Samson during India’s tour of England, suggesting that the move may have been influenced by media pressure and the hype surrounding young batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Subramaniam Badrinath believes dropping Sanju Samson after three matches was not purely a cricketing decision. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was given an opportunity in his place but was also dropped after managing only three low scores, with Sanju Samson eventually returning to the team. Gautam Gambhir later admitted that dropping Samson was a mistake. The India head coach revealed that the decision was extremely difficult for him and even resulted in sleepless nights.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Subramaniam Badrinath said there could have been factors beyond cricket influencing the decision. He pointed out that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had attracted considerable media attention and generated significant hype following his IPL season, which could have created additional pressure on the coaching staff.
According to Subramaniam Badrinath, such external pressure can sometimes influence decision-making, regardless of who is in charge. He therefore felt that the decision to leave Samson out may not have been based entirely on cricketing considerations.
The situation changed again during India’s three-T20I tour of Zimbabwe. Sanju Samson was rested for the series, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi impressed with his performances. However, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was subsequently left out for the T20I series against Afghanistan. Sanju Samson then opened the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma in four consecutive matches.
The two batters were also part of India’s playing XI at the 2026 Asian Games. With India choosing to field one batter short, both Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi featured in the team, with Samson batting at No. 3. India will now return to full strength for the upcoming T20I series against the West Indies, which begins on Tuesday in Lucknow. Samson is expected to open alongside Abhishek Sharma once again.
With the selection debate continuing, the focus will now be on how Sanju Samson and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are used as India prepares for its next set of T20I assignments.
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