"Don't See Him Play": Blunt Sunil Gavaskar Settles Sanju Samson vs Ishan Kishan T20 World Cup XI Selection Debate

Sunil Gavaskar didn't wait till the end to make his point. During the Trivandrum finale of the India vs New Zealand series, the former India captain all but revealed what India's World Cup thinking looks like - and who has fallen out of it. "I think the selection committee was quite forthright, giving Sanju Samson all the opportunities. But now, with Ishan Kishan's innings here and Tilak Varma likely to return, the batting order looks definite," he said on Star Sports. Ishan Kishan's maiden T20I hundred against New Zealand was not just a personal milestone; it was a timely intervention in a long-running selection debate. His 103 powered India to a staggering 271 for 5 and gave the Indian team management definite thoughts on the opening slot.

For Sanju Samson, the numbers tell an uncomfortable story. Five matches, 46 runs, and dwindling returns in a setup where patience has limits. Although he was the designated wicketkeeper on paper, the optics shifted sharply when Kishan donned the gloves in the final match. In a World Cup year, such changes tend to signal more than experimentation.

"It is really difficult to drop him. And dropping him for whom? Tilak Varma is a proven performer at this level. Sanju Samson is also a proven performer, but he is not in form. It has got nothing to do with his ability. In a tournament like the World Cup, you can't take chances. This is the reason I think that after giving him five matches - I think his highest score is 24 - and he has got out in odd manners, he is definitely short on confidence. Unless Tilak Varma is not fit, I don't see him (Samson) being part of the XI on February 7 (vs USA in the T20 World Cup)," Gavaskar said after the match ended.

Gavaskar's assessment framed it plainly. The hesitation around Samson, he suggested, has finally given way to decisiveness. With Tilak Verma recovering well and expected to play the World Cup warm-up games, the batting order now appears locked in - right down to India's opening match against the USA.

Tilak's return adds balance and flexibility, allowing India to commit fully to Kishan at the top without compromising the middle order. It's the kind of structural certainty teams chase heading into a title defence.

Kishan finished the series with 215 runs, including a hundred and a fifty, second only to Suryakumar Yadav. More importantly, he did it in the role India value most in global T20s - setting the tempo up front. In Trivandrum, he took control early, dismantling New Zealand's plans inside the powerplay and never easing off.

India's decision to include Kishan in the T20 World Cup squad was already viewed as a bold call, one rooted in domestic dominance. He had been a standout in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, driving Jharkhand to the title with aggressive starts and clean hitting.

For Samson, this likely marks another pause in an international career that has promised much but rarely found continuity. For Kishan, it feels more permanent. The runs, the timing, and Gavaskar's words all point in the same direction

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Sanju Samson Ishan Kishan Sunil Gavaskar T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket