Gautam Gambhir's 2019 Post On Sanju Samson Resurfaces After Shubman Gill's Removal

In the fast-moving world of Indian cricket, few things age as interestingly as a Gautam Gambhir post on social media. Following the head-turning announcement of India's squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup, social media has been abuzz with the resurfacing of a post from 2019. In the post on X (formerly Twitter), Gambhir made a bold declaration about Sanju Samson. But, as he became the head coach of the Indian team, he himself failed to execute his vision for the wicket-keeper batter from Kerala. Gambhir's post resurfaced on social media after Samson was re-promoted as an opening batter in the team, replacing Shubman Gill, whose return to the shortest format in international cricket had pushed him deep into the middle order.

Once touted as the heir apparent and the format's vice-captain, Gill has been sensationally dropped from the T20 World Cup squad entirely. Chief selector Ajit Agarkar cited "team combinations" and a desire for "wicketkeeper-openers" as the primary reasons, but the move has left fans stunned.

As Gill makes way, the spotlight has swung back to Samson. Despite a rollercoaster career, Samson's recent form, including three T20I centuries in a single calendar year, has finally forced the selectors' hands.

The tweet from Gambhir dates back to 29 March 2019. At a time when Samson's popularity had reached its absolute peak, Gambhir wrote: "I normally don't like to talk about individuals in cricket. But seeing his skills, I am glad to note that Sanju Samson is currently the best wicketkeeper-batsman in India. For me, he should be batting number 4 in the World Cup."

And he selected Sanju Samson as first choice wicketkeeper for the T20 World Cup 2026.

Sanju Samson fans, apologies should be louder than criticism. https://t.co/3QRXQgcjUa

— Cricketwood (@thecricketwood) December 20, 2025

Six years later, with Gambhir at the helm as coach, Samson returns to his traditional opening spot as the management's pursuit of converting him into a middle-order batter failed miserably. Gambhir, despite seeing Samon as a No. 4 option in the Indian T20I team, had no option but to elevate him as an opener again. 

While the focus is on Samson's return as an opener, the fall of Gill is even more dramatic. Having served as Suryakumar Yadav's deputy, Gill was seen as the future of Indian leadership, even in the T20 format. However, a lean patch during the Asia Cup 2025 and the South Africa series saw his stocks fall drastically.

The management's decision to prioritise "intent" over "reputation" appears to be a hallmark of the Gambhir era. By opting for the explosive Samson and the returning Ishan Kishan at the top of the order, India has signalled a shift toward a high-risk, high-reward T20 strategy-one that Gambhir envisioned long before he became the head coach.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Sanju Samson Gautam Gambhir Shubman Gill T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket