Despite Of Gambhir's Interest In Sanju Samson | Samson Doesn't Get Call For ICC Champions Trophy
Gautam Gambhir's old video of praising Sanju Samson is going viral after the latter was not picked in India's Champions Trophy squad.
Samson, whose last ODI appearance came in December 2023 against South Africa, has been in smashing form in the white-ball formats, scoring three centuries in his last five T20Is.
Gautam Gambhir, seen as someone who appreciates Samson's talent, has always been vocal in his support. Ever since Gambhir became India's head coach, Samson, a right-handed batter from Kerala, has been given a consistent run in T20Is.
However, after the Champions Trophy squad announcement, a 2020 video of Gambhir resurfaced, where he famously remarked, "If Sanju Samson doesn’t play for India, it's not his loss rather the team's.
" Speaking to ESPNCricinfo in September 2020, Gambhir elaborated, "You know what if Sanju Samson is not going to play for India, it's not Sanju Samson's loss. It is actually India's loss, and I hope Sanju Samson is backed the same way Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have been backed. You are losing out on a talent which could probably be the No.1 batter in the future."
During the same interview, Gambhir criticized the selectors for not supporting Samson, saying, "Unfortunately, we haven't backed him till now. People sitting in those big rooms, the selection committee, should be scratching their hair 'Why wasn't Sanju Samson part of the T20 team or the last World Cup?'"
