Sanju Samson dropped, are you kidding me? Manjrekar stirs the pot after T20I snub
Sanjay Manjrekar questioned India's call to drop Sanju Samson for the second T20I against England despite handing Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a record debut. The decision and India's defeat sharpened scrutiny on team balance, considering the abundance of left-handers in the batting unit.
The omission of Sanju Samson from India's playing eleven for the second T20 International against England at Old Trafford has ignited a fierce selection debate. Samson, who was crowned Player of the Tournament during India's triumphant T20 World Cup 2026 campaign earlier this year, was dropped in Manchester following a brief lean spell of three single-figure scores across the tours of Ireland and England.
His exclusion opened the door for a historic debut as 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became India's youngest-ever international cricketer. While the teenager's inclusion was widely celebrated, the decision to discard the established wicketkeeper-batsman entirely left former India cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar completely flabbergasted.
Taking to social media to vent his frustration, Manjrekar questioned the tactical logic of the team management, initially hoping that a hidden physical ailment was the true cause behind the dynamic batsman's sudden absence.
"Great to see Vaibhav in India colours," Manjrekar posted on X. "But what about Samson! Dropped?? Are you kidding me! No, I guess, injured. Let's hope it's injury. Or it's the most bizarre selection. Could have easily batted at 3 if you wanted to get Vaibhav in."
Manjrekar's bewilderment reflected a broader sentiment among pundits who felt Samson deserved a longer rope, especially given his recent World Cup heroics. Instead of substituting an in-form asset, critics argued that the team hierarchy could have easily accommodated Sooryavanshi at the top of the order whilst pushing Samson down to number three to maintain middle-order experience.
As the match progressed, India's eventual four-wicket defeat only heightened scrutiny around the squad's tactical composition.
RAJAT PATIDAR FOR T20Is?
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan weighed in, focusing on how the team failed to capitalise on a blistering start to push past the 200-run mark, eventually posting 190 for 7. Pathan also highlighted the clinical finishing of England's Jacob Bethell, who smashed an unbeaten 76 to anchor the chase with an over to spare.
Beyond the immediate result at Old Trafford, Pathan pinpointed a structural imbalance that is beginning to plague the national side. With the inclusion of Sooryavanshi alongside the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma, India's top six has become heavily congested with left-handed batters.
The team management had previously corrected a similar issue midway through the T20 World Cup, recalling Sanju Samson to disrupt a top three that featured consecutive left-handers.
According to the former all-rounder, this tactical uniformity plays directly into the hands of opposition bowling attacks. He urged the selectors to look at Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar, who recently enjoyed a stellar Indian Premier League season, accumulating 501 runs at an explosive strike rate of 192.69.
"Looking at the number of left-hand batters in the Indian T20 team right now, it's even more of a reason for Team India to look at Rajat Patidar going forward," Pathan explained. "I really hope he gets an opportunity, especially since there is still plenty of time for Team India to experiment before the next T20 World Cup."
With England taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, the pressure is mounting on captain Shreyas Iyer and the team management. As the series moves to Trent Bridge, the selectors face a tough task balancing the urge to blood young talent like Sooryavanshi with the need to protect proven performers like Samson.
The omission of Sanju Samson from India's playing eleven for the second T20 International against England at Old Trafford has ignited a fierce selection debate. Samson, who was crowned Player of the Tournament during India's triumphant T20 World Cup 2026 campaign earlier this year, was dropped in Manchester following a brief lean spell of three single-figure scores across the tours of Ireland and England.
His exclusion opened the door for a historic debut as 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi became India's youngest-ever international cricketer. While the teenager's inclusion was widely celebrated, the decision to discard the established wicketkeeper-batsman entirely left former India cricketer turned commentator Sanjay Manjrekar completely flabbergasted.
Taking to social media to vent his frustration, Manjrekar questioned the tactical logic of the team management, initially hoping that a hidden physical ailment was the true cause behind the dynamic batsman's sudden absence.
"Great to see Vaibhav in India colours," Manjrekar posted on X. "But what about Samson! Dropped?? Are you kidding me! No, I guess, injured. Let's hope it's injury. Or it's the most bizarre selection. Could have easily batted at 3 if you wanted to get Vaibhav in."
Manjrekar's bewilderment reflected a broader sentiment among pundits who felt Samson deserved a longer rope, especially given his recent World Cup heroics. Instead of substituting an in-form asset, critics argued that the team hierarchy could have easily accommodated Sooryavanshi at the top of the order whilst pushing Samson down to number three to maintain middle-order experience.
As the match progressed, India's eventual four-wicket defeat only heightened scrutiny around the squad's tactical composition.
RAJAT PATIDAR FOR T20Is?
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan weighed in, focusing on how the team failed to capitalise on a blistering start to push past the 200-run mark, eventually posting 190 for 7. Pathan also highlighted the clinical finishing of England's Jacob Bethell, who smashed an unbeaten 76 to anchor the chase with an over to spare.
Beyond the immediate result at Old Trafford, Pathan pinpointed a structural imbalance that is beginning to plague the national side. With the inclusion of Sooryavanshi alongside the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma, India's top six has become heavily congested with left-handed batters.
The team management had previously corrected a similar issue midway through the T20 World Cup, recalling Sanju Samson to disrupt a top three that featured consecutive left-handers.
According to the former all-rounder, this tactical uniformity plays directly into the hands of opposition bowling attacks. He urged the selectors to look at Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar, who recently enjoyed a stellar Indian Premier League season, accumulating 501 runs at an explosive strike rate of 192.69.
"Looking at the number of left-hand batters in the Indian T20 team right now, it's even more of a reason for Team India to look at Rajat Patidar going forward," Pathan explained. "I really hope he gets an opportunity, especially since there is still plenty of time for Team India to experiment before the next T20 World Cup."
With England taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series, the pressure is mounting on captain Shreyas Iyer and the team management. As the series moves to Trent Bridge, the selectors face a tough task balancing the urge to blood young talent like Sooryavanshi with the need to protect proven performers like Samson.
