Sanju Samson failed to make the cut in India’s playing XI for the first two T20Is of the ongoing five-match series against South Africa at home.

During the Asia Cup 2025 in UAE, Shubman Gill’s return to the T20I fold as vice-captain saw Samson losing his spot at the top of the order despite hitting three hundreds last year.

After receiving some chances in the middle-order, Samson was made to warm bench in the third, fourth and fifth T20Is of the Australia tour last month, with another wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma being given the first preference because of his match finishing abilities.

The same selection policy continued in the T20I matches against South Africa in Cuttack and New Chandigarh, prompting a scathing rant from former India cricketer Robin Uthappa.

With Gill struggling, Uthappa called out India's decision to drop Samson from the opening slot in T20Is. He went to ask why the successful opening pair of Sanju Samson-Abhishek Sharma was dismantled without a convincing explanation from the team management.

"I beg the question: what did the partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson do so grossly wrong that they had to be replaced? I understand Surya in the pre-series conference where he said Shubman has actually been in the T20 squad before Sanju got his opportunity. But when Sanju did get his opportunity, he got three hundreds. He was the first guy among the youngsters here to get hundreds in T20 cricket. It was after that when Abhishek got it, and after that when Tilak actually got it. So he perhaps even inspired the guys and challenged them, because at that point, they were figuring out who was going to be the next opener for India in T20 cricket," Uthappa said while speaking on Star Sports.

"So you have a proven opener, who’s averaging just below Abhishek Sharma at this point, and you decided to move him to the middle order and then slowly leave him out. What wrong has he done? is my question. He deserves to have that opportunity," he added.

Uthappa was equally blunt in his assessment of Gill’s recent T20I failures, citing that trying different things have led to the downfall of Test and ODI skipper.

"It’s not working for Shubman at this point, because I also think he’s trying different things. I think he’s trying initially to go toe-to-toe at the same pace that Abhishek is going — that is not how he bats. That is not how he’s been successful in T20 cricket. How he has been successful is by taking that time, those first 10 balls, absorbing the pressure, getting in, and then once he reaches 15–20 balls, I don’t think there is a batter like Shubman Gill until he gets himself out. That’s the kind of batter he is. And I think that’s what works for him in T20 cricket," Uthappa stated.

"I think he’s trying different things, and it’s not working for him, so obviously he must be feeling the heat as well, even though he’s vice-captain. And then there are narratives around — and we were talking about Sanju now missing out, even though he has not done much wrong. I mean, he’s the same guy who has got three hundreds in a year,” he remarked.