Kris Srikkanth, former India captain and chief selector, has slammed the Indian team management for not picking Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for the recent first T20I against Afghanistan in Delhi on September 13.
Sanju Samson was given the preference, despite Sooryavanshi winning the Player of the Series in India’s last T20I series against Zimbabwe. Sooryavanshi had scored two fifties and 151 runs across the Zimbabwe T20Is at a strike rate of 196.10.
He also scored a brilliant 90-odd runs for the East Zone in the Duleep Trophy 2026 semi-final. He was one of the three players who joined the Indian squad for the Afghanistan T20Is, just two days before the first game.
Sanju Samson had a torrid time in the T20I series against Ireland and England and was even dropped after the first T20I in England for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi; he was rested from the Zimbabwe T20Is, was included in the India XI, and managed 10 runs off 8 balls before his dismissal.
“Yesterday, because Sooryavanshi didn’t play, we started watching a movie. My wife was shouting that Sooryavanshi didn’t play and started arguing that someone who was the Player of the Match in the last match isn’t playing. Even my wife is questioning his exclusion. You are not treating Sooryavanshi properly. Now, if he plays the next match, he’ll wonder whether he’ll be dropped if he doesn’t score,” Srikkanth stated on his YouTube channel.
Srikkanth also told the Indian team management that they should consistently back Sooryavanshi, highlighting his performances across domestic cricket, India A, T20Is, and the IPL.
Furthermore, Srikkanth criticized how Indian team management has treated Samson in recent times.
“This team management is playing around with Sanju Samson. I pity Samson. Either you give him an extended run and then drop him or give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a run of matches without dropping him. The mistake India is making is that both are getting two matches here and there. That’s not good for the player," Srikkanth said.
The second T20I against Afghanistan is scheduled for September 15 in Delhi, with the team management now facing a decision over whether to continue with Samson or bring Sooryavanshi back into the XI.
