The debate over Sanju Samson versus Vaibhav Suryavanshi in India's T20 setup has taken a fresh turn after Cheteshwar Pujara shared his views on the issue. Pujara believes it would be wrong to suddenly drop players who helped India win the T20 World Cup, even though Suryavanshi deserves a chance of his own.
Samson Struggling For Runs
Sanju Samson, who played a key role in India's 2026 T20 World Cup triumph, has failed to find form on the tours of Ireland and England, scoring just 5, 0 and 1 runs so far. Despite this dip, the team management has shown no signs of dropping him from the playing eleven, while Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who piled up 776 runs in the IPL, continues to warm the bench waiting for his chance. The demand for Suryavanshi's debut has been growing louder on social media by the day, but Gautam Gambhir and the team management are yet to make a call.
Pujara Backs India To Stick With Samson
Former India batter Cheteshwar Pujara, speaking on JioStar, said India should continue backing Sanju Samson. He said there should be no pressure on Samson since he has already proven himself in the T20 World Cup. Pujara added that given Samson's talent, he deserves a place in the playing eleven, and there should not be too much noise around dropping him. According to Pujara, Samson is an outstanding player who should get a long run in the side. His advice was that Samson should simply bat naturally without overthinking his game.
Don't Drop Anyone For Suryavanshi, Rest Them Instead
Pujara did not stop there. He said that if Vaibhav Suryavanshi has to play, he should be given the opportunity, but not by dropping a player, rather by resting one. Pujara said giving Suryavanshi a chance is fine, but none of India's top three batters, whether it is Sanju Samson, Abhishek or Ishan Kishan, should be axed for it. He made it clear that despite this, Suryavanshi does deserve a chance and will get one eventually.
Series Moves To England After Ireland Defeat
India's UK tour opened with a two-match T20 series against Ireland, where Ireland created history by beating India in both matches. The action has now shifted to England for a five-match T20 series, the first game of which was washed out due to rain. The second match will be played in Manchester on July 4, starting at 7 pm as per Indian time. All eyes will now be on whether the team management gives Vaibhav Suryavanshi his debut or continues to trust Sanju Samson.
