Team India: Did Gambhir and Agarkar Make a Big Mistake by Dropping Sanju Samson for Shubman Gill?
Sanju Samson dropped for Shubman Gill: The latest selection decisions by head coach Gautam Gambhir and chief selector Ajit Agarkar have sparked a heated debate across Indian cricket circles. Their move to drop in-form Sanju Samson to accommodate Shubman Gill—and even make Gill the vice-captain of India’s T20 team—has become a major topic of discussion.
Many believe the team management has sidelined a proven performer like Samson only to persist with Gill, whose form in the T20 format has been inconsistent for a long time.
Gill’s Struggles Continue Despite Promotion
Shubman Gill’s performance in T20 internationals has been under scrutiny for more than a year. In the recent 1st T20I against South Africa at Cuttack, Gill was dismissed for just 4 runs, raising further doubts about his place in the playing XI.
A look at his last 16 T20I innings reveals a struggle for consistency:
13, 34, 39, 20, 10, 5, 47, 29, 4, 12, 37, 5, 15, 46, 29*, 4**
He has not scored a single half-century in over 18 months.
Despite playing 34 T20Is and scoring 841 runs at a strike rate of 140.63, Gill’s recent slump is hurting the team’s balance.
Sanju Samson: The Unlucky Victim of Selection Policies
In contrast, Sanju Samson’s T20I and IPL track record is significantly stronger.
Sanju Samson T20I Stats
Matches: 51
Runs: 995
Strike Rate: 147.40
3 centuries and 3 fifties
Sanju Samson IPL Stats
4704 runs
Strike rate: 139.04
One of the most explosive wicketkeeper-batters in the league
These numbers make his exclusion even more surprising and frustrating for fans.
How Samson Was Side-Lined
To bring Shubman Gill into the XI, the management:
Broke the successful opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson.
Pushed Samson down the order, affecting his role and rhythm.
Eventually benched him completely.
Now, Jitesh Sharma has been preferred as wicketkeeper ahead of Samson.
Such instability has cost Samson his place despite his excellent form and skill set.
Has Gambhir–Agarkar’s Strategy Backfired?
Cricket experts and fans strongly believe that the decision to prioritize Gill over Samson is hurting Team India.
Gill’s inconsistent form
Samson’s strong T20 numbers
Disruption of a stable opening combination
Bench-strength imbalance
—all point towards a major selection miscalculation.
As criticism grows, the pressing question now is:
Will Sanju Samson get another opportunity in the upcoming series, or is he a long-term victim of team management decisions?
Team India’s future selections will reveal whether Gambhir and Agarkar correct this mistake or continue backing Gill despite his ongoing struggles.
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