Sanju Samson, known for his explosive batting in T20Is, has emerged as a strong contender for India’s squad for the Champions Trophy 2025. The talented wicketkeeper-batter delivered standout performances recently, smashing a blistering 111 runs off 47 balls against Bangladesh and an equally impressive 107 off 50 balls against South Africa. Despite his notable contributions, Samson’s chances of boarding the flight to the United Arab Emirates for the marquee tournament seem uncertain.
The 30-year-old’s decision to skip the Vijay Hazare Trophy has reportedly irked the selectors. They are now exploring other options, including Dhruv Jurel, as a potential backup wicketkeeper. With Rishabh Pant firmly established as the first-choice keeper and Ishan Kishan also vying for the role, competition for a spot in the squad is fierce.
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Sanju Samson’s absence from Kerala’s preparatory camp for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024-25 further complicated matters. According to OnManorama, Samson informed the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) about his unavailability, but the management chose to include only players who attended the sessions.
🚨no sanju samson in champions Trophy🚨
-sanju samson unlikely to pick up for champions Trophy, feal for this man(pti) pic.twitter.com/J74Q9DxTtS— Dilip45 (@Dilip22957463) January 15, 2025
Kerala also faced the absence of another experienced player, Sachin Baby, which led to Salman Nizar being named captain. The absence of these key players significantly impacted Kerala’s campaign, as the team managed to win only two of their five matches, failing to progress to the knockout stages.
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Adding to Samson’s challenges, he was part of India’s T20 World Cup 2024 squad but did not feature in any of the matches. With the Champions Trophy set to begin on February 19, India’s squad announcement, initially planned for January 12, was extended to January 19. While Samson’s T20 heroics have kept his name in the mix, his recent absence from domestic cricket might weigh heavily against him as selectors finalize their decisions.
