Gautam Gambhir And Co. Get Clear Message On Solving Sanju Samson vs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Debate
Should India continue with Sanju Samson? Or is it already time to give Indian cricket's latest poster boy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a chance?
- Sanju Samson scored 5, 0, and 1 on India's recent Ireland and England tour
- Cheteshwar Pujara supports persisting with Samson despite recent low scores
- Vaibhav Sooryavanshi deserves a chance but not by dropping key players, he said
Should India continue with Sanju Samson? Or is it already time to give Indian cricket's latest poster boy, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, a chance? Samson, India's hero in the 2026 T20 World Cup win, has scores of 5, 0, and 1 on the Tour of Ireland and England so far. Patience in international cricket, especially when it comes to India, often does not get top priority. The same is being seen in the clamour over Sooryavanshi. Former India star Cheteshwar Pujara says that while Sooryavanshi does deserve an opportunity, it should not come at the cost of dropping proven performers at short notice.
"I think India should persist with Sanju Samson. I don't think he should be feeling any pressure. He has proved himself in the T20 World Cup and, with the kind of talent he possesses, he should be there in the playing XI. There shouldn't be a lot of noise about dropping Sanju Samson. He is a quality player and should get a longer run. Sanju just needs to bat naturally and not think too much," Pujara said on JioStar.
"If Vaibhav needs to play, he should play, but not at the expense of dropping someone, rather by resting someone. If you want to give him an opportunity, that is fine. But you shouldn't be dropping any of India's top three players, whether it's Sanju, Abhishek or Ishan Kishan. Having said that, Vaibhav does deserve an opportunity, and his opportunity will come."
Pujara also praised captain Shreyas Iyer's composed innings after India recovered from an early setback to post a competitive total in the rain-hit opening T20I against England in Durham.
With India losing early wickets after electing to bat first, Pujara said Iyer's ability to steady the innings before accelerating played a decisive role in putting the visitors in a strong position.
Pujara felt Iyer delivered exactly what was expected of a captain after India found themselves under pressure in the powerplay, balancing caution with aggression as the innings progressed.
"It was an important knock from Shreyas Iyer and, when you are leading the team, you always look to lead from the front. He showed a lot of maturity because India were in trouble after losing a couple of early wickets," Pujara told JioStar.
He also credited Iyer for pacing his innings according to the match situation before shifting gears once he was well established at the crease.
"Abhishek played a good knock, but it was important for Shreyas to hold one end up and take his time. Once he was set, he played some quality shots," he added.
With IANS inputs
India Cricket Team
England Cricket Team
Sanju Samson
Gautam Gambhir