Champions Trophy 2025: Shashi Tharoor attacks KCA after Sanju Samson left out of India squad

Sanju Samson‘s The omission from India’s 15-man squad to Champions Cup 2025 It sparked a huge controversy within the cricket community. Despite being in sensational form, having scored three centuries in his last five T20I innings and scoring a ton in his last ODI outing against South Africa In December 2024, Samson found himself overlooked by the selectors.

Shashi Tharoor criticizes KCA’s mismanagement

He has publicly criticized Shashi Tharoor, a Congress MP Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) For mishandling Samson’s case, blaming their strict policies for excluding him. Sampson previously informed KCA of his unavailability for preparatory camp prior to team selection. However, KCA imposed its rule that players must attend these camps, which resulted in Samson being excluded from the team. Tharoor pointed out that Samson’s absence from the team was primarily due to his absence from the national team Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024Where Kerala failed to reach the quarter-finals.

“The unfortunate saga of the Kerala Cricket Association and Sanju Samson – the player wrote to KCA in advance, regretting his inability to attend a training camp between the SMA and Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments, and was immediately dropped from the squad – has now resulted in Sanju being dropped from the Indian national team.” Tharoor wrote on social media

Tharoor highlighted how KCA’s short-sightedness and strict approach has now led to the decline of Kerala cricket, with Samson excluded from the major ODI tournament. Tharoor raised pertinent questions, asking whether it was fair for KCA to punish a player of Samson’s caliber over managerial differences.

“The batsman who had the highest score of 212* in Hazare, and who averages 56.66 in ODIs for India (including a century in his last outing, against South Africa) has had his career ruined by the arrogance of cricket managers. Doesn’t it bother KCA officials That by excluding Sanju, they have ensured that Kerala does not even reach the quarter-finals, Hazare. Where does that leave him? Tharoor concluded.

The unfortunate saga of the Kerala Cricket Association and Sanju Samson – the player wrote to KCA in advance, regretting his inability to attend a training camp between the SMA and Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments, and was promptly dropped from the squad – has now resulted in…

-Shashi Tharoor (@shashitharoor) January 18, 2025

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Sanju Samsun’s recent level and achievements

Samson, who has captained Kerala in several domestic tournaments, has been in stunning form of late. He led Kerala in Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2024His team won four out of six matches, but narrowly missed out on qualifying for the playoffs. Samson also scored two centuries during India’s T20I tour of South Africa in November 2024, showing that his form in the shorter format remains formidable.

His consistent performances in ODIs and T20Is have kept him on the selectors’ radar, but his non-feature in the Vijay Hazare Trophy ultimately cost him a chance to make it into the Champions Trophy squad. Despite his excellent record, including his century in the last ODI against South Africa and his outstanding performances in domestic tournaments, the management leaned towards selecting Rishabh Pant, who featured prominently in the 2024 T20 World Cup, instead of Samson.

Samson’s future is with the Indian national team

While Samson is still a part of the Indian T20I squad for A five-match series is coming up against Englandstarting on January 22 in Kolkata, his omission from the Champions Trophy highlights the precarious situation he finds himself in. His absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy has now become a deciding factor in his disqualification, and his fate in future ODIs remains uncertain unless KCA resolves the situation and gives him a fair chance to perform.

Read also: Rohit Sharma explains why Mohammed Siraj was not selected in the Indian squad for the 2025 Champions Trophy