'Why no one understands his position': Ashwin on Sanju Samson’s future
Ravichandran Ashwin voiced his worries regarding Sanju Samson's unpredictable international journey. Despite showing immense talent during significant tournaments, Samson has had difficulty securing a stable position in the team. His path since 2014 has been both arduous and mentally exhausting. Ashwin noted the burdensome comparisons and public scrutiny that Samson contends with, stressing that…
Sanju Samson's journey in international cricket has been marked by flashes of brilliance, but also by uncertainty regarding his place in the Indian team. Former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has expressed concern that Samson's consistently shifting fortunes may be taking a significant mental toll.
Ashwin highlighted that Samson, who made his international debut in 2014, has never managed to secure a permanent spot across all formats. Despite strong performances like his Player of the Tournament award at the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup and in India's tour of Ireland, Samson has often found himself either in or out of the team. He has faced pressure after three successive failures in T20Is, leading to his exclusion from the second T20I against England in July, with young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi replacing him.
Samson returned for the Zimbabwe tour but was then left out of the T20I squad for that series. His next opportunity came against Afghanistan, where he performed poorly, receiving criticism for his lack of consistency. Ashwin believes that Samson may be facing tough comparisons with Sooryavanshi, which could exacerbate the mental pressure he is under. When Samson performs well, people seem to praise him, but when he fails, they question his abilities, adding to the uncertainty he experiences.
Written by urgent.news from Times of India's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
