Former India all-rounder Ravichandran Ashwin has criticised the national selectors and head coach Gautam Gambhir after Sanju Samson was left out of India’s T20I squad for the upcoming three-match series against Zimbabwe. The omission has triggered fresh debate in Indian cricket, especially because Samson had already lost his place in the playing XI during the ongoing five-match T20I series in England after a patchy run with the bat.

Samson’s exclusion from yet another squad has led to questions over whether he has been permanently dropped or merely rested for the short tour. While some believe the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter is being pushed out because of poor form, others feel the selectors are simply trying to rotate players as India continue to test their white-ball bench strength. The discussion has only grown louder after Abhishek Nayar also weighed in on the Sanju Samson vs Tilak Varma debate following India’s defeat in England.

Ravichandran Ashwin, however, has focused on a larger issue: consistency in how players are backed by the team management. Speaking to Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel, Ashwin pointed out that other young players have been given a longer rope, and he questioned why Samson is being treated differently.

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“What did they say to give Sai Sudarshan a long rope in the Test match? They said that it’s wrong to judge a player in four innings. So, they wanted to give Sai Sudarshan a long rope. Amazing. It’s not even been a month. Where did Sanju Samson fall?” Ravichandran Ashwin said, highlighting what he sees as an uneven selection policy.

The former India spinner admitted that not every player can be treated the same way, since selection decisions depend on roles, formats and team balance. Even so, he stressed that players should at least receive a fair and transparent run before being judged. In his view, repeated mixed messages can create confusion in the dressing room and affect the squad’s overall mood.

🚨 Ashwin is also cooking Gautam Gambhir and BCCI:

They said they wanted to give Sai Sudharsan a long rope in Test cricket and not judge him based on just 3–4 innings. So what has Sanju Samson done wrong?

At least be fair with everyone and apply the same standards to all… pic.twitter.com/yMe81fT3rA

— TEJASH 🚩 (@LoyleRohitFan) July 8, 2026

“See, you can’t treat every player equally. But at least you gave Sai four chances. You can give Sanju three chances or two chances. Sometimes it will change. It won’t always be even. But there must be some sort of balance. If different players are treated differently, it could increase insecurity within the team. And I am hoping this insecurity really doesn’t spread through the team,” Ravichandran Ashwin added.

Samson’s recent performances have indeed been below his best, but senior BCCI officials are said to still view him as part of India’s broader white-ball plans. According to reports, the Zimbabwe tour is being used to assess bench strength and explore backup options, which is why Prabhsimran Singh has earned his maiden call-up after an eye-catching IPL 2026 season.

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Team management is also believed to be keen on identifying another wicketkeeping option before major tournaments arrive. Reports further suggest that Gautam Gambhir has already spoken to Samson and explained the selection call, while assuring him that the door to his future in India has not closed. Even after this setback, Samson is still expected to remain in India’s long-term white-ball plans and may travel with the team to Japan for the Asian Games 2026.