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According to a report, BCCI is planning to probe why Sanju Samson didn’t participate in the ongoing 2024-25 edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy for Kerala.
Sanju Samson didn’t participate in Vijay Hazare Trophy. (Picture Credit: PTI)
Sanju Samson decided to skip Kerala’s three-day Vijay Hazare Trophy practice camp in Wayanad due to personal reasons in December, and because of that he was not picked for the premier domestic 50-over tournament by the Kerala Cricket Association. Samson’s decision to skip the Vijay Hazare Trophy hasn’t gone down well with BCCI officials and selectors.
According to a report in the Times of India on Friday, BCCI is planning to probe why the veteran of 16 ODIs and 37 T20Is didn’t participate in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
There is a possibility that the 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Thiruvananthapuram could miss out on a place in India’s squad for the three-match ODI series against England as well as the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
“The selectors and the board have been very clear on the importance of domestic cricket. Last year, Ishan Kishan and Shreyas Iyer lost central contracts for missing domestic matches without seeking permission. Even in Samson’s case, the board and selectors were not given any reason why he missed the tournament. All that is known so far is that he spends much of his time in Dubai,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by TOI.
Samson is picked for the five-match T20I series against England, which starts on January 22 in Kolkata, but his decision to skip the Vijay Hazare Trophy could hurt his chances of selection for the 50-over matches.
“The selectors would want a valid reason. Otherwise, it will be difficult to consider him for the ODI season. Samson has had a bitter history with the KCA, but that needs to be sorted out for him to play in domestic cricket. It can’t be that the state association and he have a misunderstanding, and he misses out on game time. He did play in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy preceding the Vijay Hazare Trophy,” the source added.
Samson, who has scored three centuries and two ducks in his last five T20Is for India, last played an ODI match in December 2023 against South Africa. He batted at No. 3 in that fixture and with the help of six fours and three sixes scored 108 runs from 114 balls. If Samson misses out on a place in the Indian team, then Dhruv Jurel or Ishan Kishan could be picked as the second-choice wicketkeeper.
