Sanju Samson Is Doing Huge Injustice to Team India and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Sanju Samson might be one of the heroes of India’s World Cup triumph, but does that mean he should continue getting opportunities even when another player is performing better? It might sound harsh, but his continued selection is raising serious questions about whether Team India is being fair to Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

There is no doubt that Sanju Samson is an extremely talented batter. Nobody can question his ability or forget his contributions to Indian cricket. However, when we compare him with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who is competing for the same opening position, the picture becomes much clearer.

The real question is not whether Sanju Samson is talented. It is whether he deserves a place ahead of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi based on their current performances.

India’s selection decisions should be based on what benefits the team today, rather than what a player achieved in the past.

Sanju Samson’s Inconsistency Since the World Cup

Sanju Samson has struggled to deliver consistently since the World Cup, despite receiving several opportunities.

He endured disappointing series against Ireland and England before producing two impressive knocks against Afghanistan on batting-friendly surfaces. However, even one of those innings benefited from a dropped catch that could have ended his stay at the crease much earlier.

His struggles became more noticeable when conditions started challenging the batters. Against Japan, Sri Lanka and Pakistan, Samson failed to make a significant impact on surfaces where batting required greater technical control and adaptability.

The same pattern continued against West Indies.

Samson failed in the opening T20I despite favourable batting conditions. He then played an impressive knock of 82 runs from 41 balls in the second match, but that innings also came with considerable luck.

He was dropped early in his innings and received another opportunity when a catch went down after he had crossed 40.

Those missed chances do not take away the runs he scored, but they are important when evaluating his consistency.

Other batters were also making the most of the batting-friendly conditions. Shai Hope, for example, scored at a strike rate of around 226.

Samson then managed just three runs in the third T20I, once again raising questions about his ability to produce big performances regularly.

Why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Deserves an Opportunity

This is where the comparison becomes particularly important.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has already demonstrated his extraordinary attacking ability in the IPL. On batting-friendly pitches, he can dominate bowling attacks from the beginning and score at an exceptionally high strike rate.

More importantly, his performances suggest that he has the potential to deliver match-winning knocks more consistently.

On flat batting surfaces, Vaibhav can potentially score even faster than Samson. However, the biggest difference between the two players becomes apparent when batting conditions are difficult.

Samson has repeatedly struggled on two-paced surfaces, where the ball does not come onto the bat consistently.

Vaibhav, on the other hand, has shown that he can maintain an aggressive approach even under such conditions.

His performances against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka demonstrated his ability to attack when other batters were struggling. He has produced outstanding innings on challenging surfaces and earned Player of the Series recognition.

That is what makes his case particularly compelling.

If Vaibhav can score at a higher strike rate on flat pitches and also deliver on two-paced surfaces, why should India continue overlooking him?

Samson might produce an excellent innings on a batting-friendly surface, but Vaibhav has shown the potential to offer India a more complete attacking option.

Is Team India Giving Too Much Importance to Past Performances?

There is another important question regarding India’s selection policy.

Kuldeep Yadav has been among India’s most effective bowlers across the ODI and T20I series, yet he has still been left out of the playing XI.

If a successful bowler can be dropped according to the team’s requirements, why should a batter continue receiving opportunities despite repeated failures?

Nobody is suggesting that Samson’s World Cup contributions should be forgotten. Those performances deserve recognition.

However, international selection cannot become a reward for past achievements.

Abhishek Sharma has also experienced difficult periods, including a weakness that became noticeable during the World Cup. However, he worked on that problem and has continued to demonstrate his ability to dominate bowling attacks.

The same improvement and consistency should be expected from Samson.

India Should Give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi the Right Opportunity

One of the most disappointing aspects of this situation is that Vaibhav is not getting opportunities even when conditions could be ideal for his development.

For a young attacking batter, batting-friendly pitches provide an excellent opportunity to gain confidence and adjust to international cricket.

Instead, India continues backing Samson on those surfaces despite having another exciting option available.

Vaibhav has already shown his ability to handle challenging pitches. Giving him opportunities on better batting surfaces could help him establish himself much faster.

India should not wait until conditions become difficult before testing a young player who has already demonstrated such exceptional potential.

Sanju Samson Should Return to Domestic Cricket to Regain Consistency

Dropping Samson from the playing XI would not necessarily mean the end of his international career.

In fact, regular domestic cricket could be more beneficial for him than travelling with the Indian squad without getting enough meaningful match practice.

Training sessions can help a player improve certain aspects of his game, but competitive matches provide challenges that cannot be recreated in the nets.

Samson needs opportunities to work on his technique, especially against bowling attacks that exploit movement and two-paced conditions.

Playing domestic cricket regularly could help him address those weaknesses and return as a more dependable batter.

There are several talented batters in Indian domestic cricket who can score heavily on flat pitches. Simply producing occasional big innings on favourable surfaces cannot guarantee a permanent place in the national team.

Samson has the talent to perform much better, but he needs to turn that ability into consistent performances across different conditions.

If India genuinely wants to build its strongest possible playing XI, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi deserves a fair opportunity to compete for the opening position.