Stories
Gambhir's Sleepless Night: Dropping Sanju Samson for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
- •Gautam Gambhir revealed that dropping Sanju Samson from the T20I side was the toughest selection decision of his coaching career, causing him a sleepless night.
- •The decision was made during the five-T20I series against England, three matches after Samson was named Player of the Tournament in the 2026 T20 World Cup.
- •Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, coming off a record-breaking IPL 2026 and an Under-19 World Cup final century, debuted but was later replaced by Samson after low-scoring knocks.
- •Gambhir had an honest conversation with Samson, explaining the need for greater impetus at the top of the order due to Sooryavanshi's form.
- •Gambhir emphasized prioritizing continuity with proven players over social media noise, even when it meant difficult conversations with players like Sooryavanshi.
Key Questions Answered
Gautam Gambhir admitted that leaving Sanju Samson out of the T20I side was his toughest coaching decision. Samson was dropped during the England series right after winning the Player of the Tournament award in the 2026 T20 World Cup, as the team needed a strong start at the top of the order from the in-form Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his historic international debut for India at just 15 years and 99 days of age. This appearance in the second T20I against England broke the men's record previously held by Sachin Tendulkar and the overall India record held by Shafali Verma.
Vaibhav Sooryavanshi had to wait on the bench during the Afghanistan series because head coach Gautam Gambhir prioritized continuity for players who had performed consistently well for India over a long period. Gambhir noted that despite a player's great form, established members like Sanju Samson deserve backing and newcomers must wait for their turn.
