‘Playing around with Sanju Samson...’: Srikkanth slams Team India’s strategy

Team India’s playing XI for the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan has drawn criticism from former World Cup-winning batter Krishnamachari Srikkanth, primarily because of the exclusion of the flamboyant teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

India bulldozed the Afghans by seven wickets in the first match in Delhi, with Abhishek Sharma blasting a 32-ball 82 to help India chase down the 157-run target in 13.4 overs. Sanju Samson, who opened with Sharma, could manage only 10 runs.

However, Srikkanth said he “pitied” Samson and that the team management was “playing around with him”. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the 66-year-old said, "Either you give him (Sanju) an extended run and then drop him or give Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a run of matches without dropping him. The mistake India are making is both are getting two matches here and there. That's not good for the player."

Despite being the Player of the Tournament of the T20 World Cup 2026, Samson has been in and out of the team, thanks to a rough patch. Samson was part of India’s starting XI at the beginning of their UK tour in July but was replaced by Sooryavanshi after three matches. He returned for the seventh and final game of the tour before being rested for the Zimbabwe series.

Interestingly, Sooryavanshi was named Player of the Series against Zimbabwe after scoring 151 runs at a strike rate of 196.10. So, the decision to bench the 15-year-old for the first T20I against Afghanistan surprised Srikkanth.

“Yesterday, because Sooryavanshi didn't play, we started watching a movie,” he said. “My wife was shouting that Sooryavanshi didn't play, and started arguing that someone who was the Player of the Match in the last match isn't playing. Even my wife is questioning his exclusion.”

He said the constant chopping and changing will cause uncertainty in the players’ minds, and make them unsure of their places in the team. "You are not treating Sooryavanshi properly. Now, if he plays the next match, he will wonder whether he will be dropped if he doesn't score. "You are sending wrong signals, and you are creating doubts in all the players' minds. Sooryavanshi has scored at every level from Duleep Trophy, T20Is, for India-A and the IPL. You should be promoting him," Srikkanth added.

It remains to be seen whether Sooryavanshi will be included in the playing XI for the second T20I, which is to be played later today in Delhi.

Varun Chakravarthy ruled out of entire series

India’s bid for a series victory over Afghanistan in the second T20I on Tuesday has been complicated by the injury-forced absence of Varun Chakravarthy.

Chakravarthy was officially ruled out with a new side strain on Monday. The spinner, who had just recovered from a hamstring injury sustained during the tour to England in July and who picked up a wicket in the series opener, was ruled out of the remaining games. The injury also makes him doubtful for the upcoming Asian Games.