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Indian men’s cricket team head coach Gautam Gambhir is known for his outspoken style, aggressive strategies and forthrightness in selection. In the recently concluded three-match T20 International series against Afghanistan, Team India’s star wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson made a strong comeback and gave a befitting reply to the critics by scoring two explosive half-centuries in the three matches. After this stellar performance, head coach Gautam Gambhir has finally broken his silence on the sensitive and much-discussed controversy that had created a huge uproar in the Indian cricket world—the sudden exclusion of T20 World Cup 2026 hero Sanju Samson from the playing eleven during the bilateral T20 series played in England. Gambhir admitted that benching Samson was the most painful and complex decision of his entire coaching tenure.
If we look at Sanju Samson’s recent international journey, he played a historic role in making the Indian team the world champion in the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. Samson, who single-handedly turned the tide of the match in several pressure-filled knockout matches and made India the champion, was awarded the prestigious ‘Player of the Tournament’ title for his extraordinary performance. However, amidst the uncertainties of the game, right after that golden World Cup success, Sanju’s bat did not yield runs in three consecutive innings. On the basis of only three failures, the team management had shown him the way out of the playing eleven in the T20 series of England tour, which was strongly criticized by cricket experts and fans.
In the press conference after Samson’s explosive batting and match-winning innings in the T20 series against Afghanistan, head coach Gautam Gambhir explained the background of that decision in an emotional but logical manner. Gambhir said that no cricketer achieves the title of ‘Player of the Tournament’ on the biggest stage like the World Cup just like that; He possesses world-class talent, technical expertise and mental strength and Sanju has achieved a lot for the country. Referring to the England series, Gambhir openly admitted that it was definitely very difficult for him to keep Sanju out. He clearly said that dropping Samson from the playing eleven against England had probably proved to be the most difficult decision in his coaching career, especially when he had made the team champion just before that. According to the coach, sometimes at the international level such bitter and unpopular steps have to be taken considering the immediate balance and current form.
Throwing light on the team selection strategy during the Afghanistan series, Gambhir made it clear that the vision of the team management was completely transparent. He said that the team management had already taken a strategic decision that they will field the same winning combination which was invincible during the T20 World Cup which had won the trophy for the country. While assuring the players about their safety, Gambhir put forward a big principle and said that failing in just three or four innings does not make any established player bad or unsuccessful. Ups and downs in form are natural in international cricket, but the real measure is talent and the nature to win big matches, which Sanju has proved once again by scoring two consecutive half-centuries against Afghanistan.
During the press conference, when a question was asked about the selection of Vaibhav Suryavanshi, the young batsman who knocked on the doors of the Indian team by scoring runs in domestic cricket, Gautam Gambhir underlined the priorities of the selection policy. Gambhir bluntly said that the team management has had a very clear and open conversation with Vaibhav Suryavanshi that he will have to wait a little for his chance. Gambhir said the Indian think tank is fully aware of Suryavanshi’s extraordinary talent, attacking play and his immense potential, but there is an established criteria for getting a place in the playing eleven of the national team.
Clarifying the basic rules of team selection, the head coach said that in the Indian dressing room, top priority and preference will be given to those players who have shown consistent performance over a long period of time and under pressure. Gambhir clearly said that in this selection system, a senior player who has consistently excelled at the international level for the last two years will naturally be ahead of a young player who has just joined the team setup. Gambhir’s statement reinforces that experienced match-winners like Sanju Samson will be given a long rope and will remain the backbone of the Indian T20 team in the upcoming major international assignments.