"Favouritism towards Rishabh Pant.." Fans lash out at Indian team management over Sanju Samson's exclusion in 1st SL vs IND T20I

Sanju Samson had hit a match-winning half-century in his last T20I outing for India.

A section of fans expressed frustration, anger and sympathy amid various emotions as Sanju Samson was left out from India’s playing XI for the first T20I against Sri Lanka on Saturday in Pallekele.

India kicked off their tour of Sri Lanka on July 27 with the T20I series. One of the tough decisions that the new Indian team management, led by captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir, needed to make was to pick one between Samson and Rishabh Pant.

Pant had played the entire ICC T20 World Cup 2024 and didn’t have many runs to show there while Samson was on the bench. Pant was then rested from the Zimbabwe tour where Samson cracked a match-winning knock of 58 runs in the last T20I.

As India begin their new cycle in preparation for the ICC T20 World Cup 2026, the selection of their first-choice keeper was something everyone was looking forward to.

Despite his underwhelming T20 World Cup and Samson’s fifty in Zimbabwe, Pant got the nod over the Kerala cricketer in the first T20I against Sri Lanka.

Pant has had a long run in T20Is but has not been able to cement his spot. In 74 T20Is, the left-hander averages 22 with a strike rate of 126 and has only three half-centuries to show. Samson has two fifties in 24 knocks and a strike rate of 133.

Pant’s selection over Sanju Samson in Pallekele in 1st IND vs SL T20I infuriated the fans.

At this point, I agree that there is some big politics running behind Sanju Samson. pic.twitter.com/7rX2R1t83Z

— Selfless⁴⁵ (@SelflessRohit) July 27, 2024

Feel for Sanju Samson he scored a half century in his last game and still got dropped 😓 pic.twitter.com/YdlLxRc2Kg

— Chinmay Shah (@chinmayshah28) July 27, 2024

Rishabh Pant in his entire World Cup : 0 Half Centuries Sanju Samson in last 2 games : 1 Half Century It’s sad how favouritism and professional bootlicking with a pinch of sympathy can ruin someone’s career pic.twitter.com/5kHBUgqG74

— Chinmay Shah (@chinmayshah28) July 27, 2024

Same story continues for Sanju Samson Never gets first match of the series , ends up getting the last match in which he fails and he’s dropped again Shame on @BCCI for ruining his career pic.twitter.com/ehwet3UW1c

— Chinmay Shah (@chinmayshah28) July 27, 2024

Sanju Samson didn't get a place in the playing XI but Riyan Parag got it. Hmm pic.twitter.com/dEUvd5WpX9

— Vishal. (@SPORTYVISHAL) July 27, 2024

Sanju Samson scored most runs in IPL24 then any WK batsman Dropped from T20WC X1 Scored match winning Century and half century in India's last ODI, T20i and Top Scorer of both the matchesDropped from the ODI Squad and T20i X1 This shows the favouritism towards Pant. pic.twitter.com/1e44z1vtJr

— Cric Rosh 💙 (@Jab_ImetSanju) July 27, 2024

Sanju Samson has been ignored from the ODIs side and now he has been dropped from the T20 playing 11 for Rishabh Pant who has been terrible in this format.On what basis, Sanju will make a comeback? If he does not get a game?He has to again wait for IPL to show his skills. pic.twitter.com/QZzlciEnJD

— Sujeet Suman (@sujeetsuman1991) July 27, 2024

भरपूर टैलेंट होने के बावजूद भी टीम मे जगह नही मिली। 🥺Sanju Samson आपके लिए दिल से बुरा लगता है । आपकी खामोशी सब बयाँ करती है। 💔New Captain Surya Same As Old Captain. #SLvIND #SLvsIND Dube pic.twitter.com/8leWZvdWDe

— Saurabh kumar (@Saurabhk0096) July 27, 2024

We don’t play by licking someone or asking for sympathy, we play on performance 😎Sanju Samson for you 🥵 pic.twitter.com/8dFOwcQmXC

— Chinmay Shah (@chinmayshah28) July 27, 2024

Sanju Samson misses out and I don’t know what’s the reason, even team management don’t know the reason. What a shit selection committee. #SanjuSamson #SLvsIND

— Mihir Jain (@mihir0504) July 27, 2024

Playing XI for 1st IND vs SL T20I:

Sri Lanka (Playing XI): Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis(w), Kusal Perera, Kamindu Mendis, Charith Asalanka(c), Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Matheesha Pathirana, Asitha Fernando, Dilshan Madushanka

India (Playing XI): Shubman Gill, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Rishabh Pant(w), Riyan Parag, Hardik Pandya, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mohammed Siraj

For more updates, follow Khel Now Cricket for IPL 2024 Live Score & IPL Points Table,  on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram.