Over the years, several players have waited for an opportunity to prove their skills in Indian cricket. However, none has waited to the extent of Sanju Samson– the sensational wicket-keeper batter who has time and again proved his mettle and waited for consistent chances in Indian cricket.

Recently, Sanju was kept out of the Indian squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 and ODI series against England. Many including Sanju’s father Samson Viswanath have pointed out that the reason behind Sanju’s exclusion from the squad was due to bias against the player by Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) officials who snubbed him off featuring for the state’s team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Sanju’s father pointed out at KCA’s bias against his son

Sanju’s father voiced his disappointment over his son’s exclusion from the Kerala squad, a decision that ultimately led to Sanju being left out of the Indian team for the Champions Trophy. Although Viswanath refrained from directly criticising KCA, his frustration with the selection process is clearly visible. In an interview with Mathrubhumi.com, he explained that the decision to exclude Sanju from the Vijay Hazare Trophy squad was made before the training camp even began.

“We’ve never raised our voice before, but this time, the situation is different,” Vishwanath said, alluding to the unfairness he feels his son has endured. However, despite his frustrations, Viswanath stressed the importance of resolving the issue amicably and expressed openness to discussing any potential oversights.

“We just want fairness, and for my son to be given a fair chance to play,” Vishwanath concluded, stressing the importance of equality of opportunity in the Kerala squad for his son and hoping that the matter would be addressed with calm and clarity.

Sanju’s exclusion from the Kerala and India squad has sparked widespread controversy, drawing support from public figures like politician Shashi Tharoor, who has called for the KCA to ensure a more transparent and equitable selection process. While Viswanath stopped short of accusing the KCA of any wrongdoing, his comments underscore the emotional toll of the situation, as both he and Sanju hope for an opportunity to compete at the highest level, free from the influence of internal politics.

Also Read: Champions Trophy 2025: Shashi Tharoor blasts KCA after Sanju Samson’s exclusion from Team India’s squad

KCA revealed reasons behind Sanju’s exclusion from the Kerala squad

Amidst widespread criticism from the cricketing community over the exclusion row, the KCA President Jayesh George explained the reason why the 30-year-old was left out from the state’s team for the Vijay Hazare Trophy during a discussion with MediaOne.

“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,” George said.

However, George denied any punitive action against Sanju and further added that the decision of Sanju’s exclusion from the team was only due to the compliance with the state team’s rules and regulations.

“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,” George concluded.

Also Read: Rohit Sharma expresses dream to bring World Cup glory at the iconic Wankhede Stadium

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Sanju Samson‘s omission from India’s 15-man squad for the Champions Trophy 2025 has sparked significant debate within the cricketing community. Despite being in sensational form, having scored three centuries in his last five T20I innings and registering a ton in his recent ODI outing against South Africa in December 2024, Samson found himself overlooked by the selectors.

Shashi Tharoor criticizes KCA’s mismanagement

Shashi Tharoor, the Congress MP, has publicly criticized the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) for mishandling Samson’s case, blaming their rigid policies for his exclusion. Samson informed KCA well in advance about his unavailability for a preparatory camp ahead of the squad selection. However, the KCA enforced their rule that players must attend these camps, which led to Samson’s exclusion from the squad. Tharoor pointed out that Samson’s omission from the team was primarily because of his absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024, where Kerala fell short of reaching the quarter-finals.

“The sorry saga of the Kerala Cricket Association and Sanju Samson — the player wrote to KCA, in advance, regretting his inability to attend a training camp between the SMA and the Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments, and was promptly dropped from the squad — has now resulted in Sanju’s exclusion from the Indian team,” Tharoor wrote on social media

Tharoor highlighted how the KCA’s short-sightedness and rigid approach have now led to Kerala’s cricketing decline, and Samson’s exclusion from a major ODI tournament. Tharoor raised pertinent questions, asking whether it was fair for KCA to penalize a player of Samson’s caliber over administrative differences.

“A batsman who has a highest score of 212* in the Hazare, who averages 56.66 in ODIs for India (including a century in his last outing, against South Africa) is having his career destroyed by the egos of cricket administrators. Doesn’t it bother the KCA bosses that by leaving Sanju out, they ensured Kerala didn’t even reach the quarter-finals of the Hazare? Where does this leave him?,” Tharoor concluded.

The sorry saga of the Kerala Cricket Association and Sanju Samson — the player wrote to KCA, in advance, regretting his inability to attend a training camp between the SMA and the Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments, and was promptly dropped from the squad — has now resulted inâ€?/p>

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) January 18, 2025

Also READ: Ajit Agarkar reveals why Mohammed Siraj wasn’t selected for Champions Trophy 2025

Sanju Samson’s recent form and achievements

Samson, who has captained Kerala in various domestic tournaments, has been in incredible form lately. He led Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024, where his team won four out of six matches but narrowly missed qualifying for the knockouts. Samson also scored two centuries during India’s T20I tour of South Africa in November 2024, showing that his form in the shortest format remains formidable.

His consistent performances in ODIs and T20Is have kept him in the selectors’ radar, but his lack of participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy ultimately cost him a chance to make it to the Champions Trophy squad. Despite his excellent record, including his century in the last ODI against South Africa and his standout performances in domestic tournaments, the management leaned towards selecting Rishabh Pant, who featured prominently in the T20 World Cup 2024, instead of Samson.

Samson’s future with the Indian team

While Samson is still part of the Indian T20I squad for the upcoming five-match series against England, starting January 22 in Kolkata, his omission from the Champions Trophy highlights the precarious position he finds himself in. His absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy has now become a crucial factor in his exclusion, and his fate in future ODIs remains uncertain unless the KCA resolves the situation and grants him a fair opportunity to perform.

Also READ: Rohit Sharma explains why Mohammed Siraj hasn’t been picked in the Indian squad for Champions Trophy 2025

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