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Sanju Samson is all set to miss the next few matches of the 2025 Ranji Trophy after his India selection for T20Is against England.
Sanju Samson (Picture Credit: PTI)
Sanju Samson will miss Kerala’s sixth-round Ranji Trophy match against Madhya Pradesh, beginning here on January 23, as he has been included in India’s squad for the five-match T20I series against England.
India will face England from January 22 at Kolkata and the rubber will culminate on February 2 at Mumbai.
Unless Samson gets released from India’s squad, the wicketkeeper batter will also miss the final Group C match against Bihar, starting on January 30.
However, the 30-year-old has a chance to play for Kerala in the knockout phase as the state team is currently placed second in the group with 18 points behind leaders Haryana (20 points).
Samson was also not selected to play for Kerala in the recent Vijay Hazare Trophy after he skipped a three-day camp preceding the tournament.
It also played a part in Samson not getting considered to India’s ODI squad against England and for the Champions Trophy, despite making a hundred against South Africa at Paarl late last year.
Sachin Baby will lead Kerala, while middle-order batter Vishnu Vinod, who was dropped after the second match, has been included in the 15-member squad.
Kerala squad: Sachin Baby (captain), Rohan S Kunnummal, Baba Aparajith, Vishnu Vinod, Mohammed Azharuddeen, Akshay Chandran, Shoun Roger, Jalaj Saxena, Salman Nizar, Aditya Sarwate, Basil Thampi, MD Nidheesh, NP Basil, NM Sharafuddeen, EM Sreehari.
Sanju Samson Embroidled In Controversy
Samson has had a rough few weeks. He was not selected for Kerala’s Vijay Hazare Trophy squad after the Kerala State Cricket Association (KSCA) was angered when he missed a pre-season training camp for the tournament.
“I am not sure if Samson missing the tournament was the reason he was excluded. The reason he was not added in the Vijay Hazare squad was because he sent a one-line text saying he would not be available for the 30-member preparatory camp. We were all of the impression that he would be leading the team since he is our white-ball captain and had led in the SMAT season as well,” Jayesh George, KSCA President, told MediaOne.
“So we went ahead and announced the squad and later he sent a message stating he is available for selection. Be it Sanju Samson or any other player, KCA has a policy in place that needs to be respected. We all know that Sanju does not need a camp to come into the squad, but is the Kerala team one that he can come and represent only when he feels like? How did Samson reach the Indian team, it was only through the KCA. That doesn’t mean you turn up only when you feel like for the Kerala team,” he said.
People of Kerala now believe it played a role in him being left out of India’s 2025 Champions Trophy squad, despite having slightly better numbers than Rishabh Pant, albeit with a smaller sample size.
(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – PTI)
