Breaking: Sanju Samson Could Miss Out on Champions Trophy Squad for This Key Reason

Sanju Samson, India’s top wicketkeeper-batter in limited-overs cricket, may miss out on a spot in the Champions Trophy squad due to a significant issue. Samson failed to attend the training camp for Kerala, which was preparing for the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Although he was added to the squad for this domestic competition, he did not report for team practice, and this could jeopardize his selection for the Champions Trophy.

After informing the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) of his unavailability, he was removed from the squad, and the KCA communicated this situation to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). When the KCA was asked about the uncertainty surrounding Samson’s selection, KCA Director Vinod Kumar stated clearly, “The association doesn’t want a youngster to lose his place in the squad due to the unavailability of Sanju Samson.”

This incident has drawn increased attention following the BCCI's new policy, which mandates that contracted players must participate in domestic competitions to be considered for the national team; failure to do so may result in penalties. This situation is not unprecedented, as last year, players like Shreyas Iyer and Ishan Kishan faced severe pressure from the BCCI for similar reasons, ultimately leading to the termination of their central contracts. It took several months for them to return to domestic tournaments, and they have yet to be selected for the Indian team since then. Ishan Kishan, in particular, faced considerable backlash due to his absence.

As Sanju Samson comes under scrutiny for this issue, we await the BCCI's decision regarding his situation. Notably, he has been selected for the T20 squad, with the camp set to begin on January 19 in Kolkata.

Samson was seen as the third potential wicketkeeping option after KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant. Even if not selected as a wicketkeeper-batter, he was in contention to be chosen as a pure batsman. However, given this recent incident, an investigation could impact his chances before the squad selection. There is also the possibility of Dhruv Jurel earning a spot in the Champions Trophy squad, as he has shown impressive form with mature innings during the series against Australia.