Former Indian spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed concern Saint SamsonThe sudden drop in India’s T20I pecking order, wondering if external pressure and social media narrative are starting to influence selection decisions. Samson, who was named the Player of the Tournament during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year, has undergone a dramatic change in fortunes. After recording three successive single-figure scores against Ireland and England, he was dropped from the playing XI in Manchester, with teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi making his much-anticipated international debut. India lost the match by four wickets, while Sooryavanshi scored 14 runs. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s struggles continued as he was left out of India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, with Prabhsimran Singh earning the call-up instead after an impressive IPL 2026 campaign for Punjab Kings. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki BaatAshwin admitted that he was surprised at how quickly Samson was dropped despite his recent contributions. “Right now, I’m worried. I’m worried because Sanju Samson was dropped from the team so quickly. What will Sanju think now? How motivated will he be when he goes to practice in the nets.” Ashwin said. The former spinner also suggested that India could look at reshuffling the batting order instead of pushing Samson all the way. With Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan all left-handed, Ashwin felt Samson could bowl at No.3. “Currently, you already have three left-handers in the top order: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ishan Kishan. Now, consider Sanju for the 3, I tell you. Everyone knows, including the coaching staff and Gautam Gambhir, that this has not been fair to Sanju. So now they have to manage the situation somehow.” Ashwin acknowledged that tough calls are part of international cricket but argued that players who have consistently repaid the team’s faith deserve a longer run before being discarded. In his view, Samson had earned that support with his performances. The veteran also raised a wider concern about whether outside opinion was starting to shape decisions in the Indian setup. Sooryavanshi’s selection had been widely demanded by fans after his record-breaking IPL season, and Ashwin questioned whether that public sentiment had found its way into the selection process. “I am worried about one thing. Are the social media narratives and all the external noise coming into the team? Is that influencing the decision? I have been watching cricket for a long time and I have seen many leaders in the Indian team. They never let outside noise get in the way, and that’s exactly how it should be,” he said. India travel to Zimbabwe later this month for a three-match T20I series in Harare on July 23, 25 and 27. Samson’s absence from the squad marks another setback for the 31-year-old, whose place has gone to Prabhsimran Singh after the latter’s strong domestic and IPL performances.
