Former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin express concern Sanzhou SamsonIndia’s sudden drop in the T20I pecking order raises questions as to whether external pressure and social media narratives are starting to influence selection decisions. Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year, has seen a dramatic change in his fortunes. Teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi made his long-awaited international debut after he was left out of the starting XI in Manchester after three consecutive single-digit scores against Ireland and England. India lost the match by 4 wickets with Sooryavanshi scoring 14 runs. The wicketkeeper-batsman’s struggles continue with him being left out of India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, while Prabhsimran Singh earned a call-up after an impressive IPL 2026 campaign for Punjab Kings. Speaking on his YouTube channel ash ki buttAshwin admitted he was surprised that Samson was dropped so quickly despite his recent contributions. “Now, I’m worried. I’m worried because Samson was dropped from the team so quickly. What will Samson be thinking about now? How motivated will he be when he goes to the Nets for training?” Ashwin said. The former spinner also suggested that India could look at reshuffling the batting order instead of leaving Samson out of the side entirely. Since Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan are all left-handers, Ashwin feels that Samson can be batted at number three. “Currently, you have three left-handed players: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ishan Kishan. Now, I’m telling you, they will consider Sanju as the third choice. Everyone knew, including the coaching staff and Gautam Gambhir, that this was not fair to Sanju. So now they have to take control of the situation somehow. “ Ashwin admits that harsh penalties are part of international cricket, but feels that players who consistently repay their team’s trust deserve a longer spell before being dropped. In his view, Samson earned this support through his performance. The veteran also raised broader concerns about whether external opinion is starting to influence decision-making within India. Fans have been widely clamoring for Sooryavanshi’s inclusion after a record-breaking IPL season, and Ashwin questioned whether this public sentiment has affected the selection process. “I’m worried about one thing. Will the social media narrative and all the external noise get into the team? Will that affect decision-making? I have been watching cricket for a long time and have met many of the leaders of the Indian team. They never allow outside noise into the locker room and that’s how it should be,” he said. The Indian team will travel to Zimbabwe later this month for a three-match T20I series in Harare on July 23, 25 and 27. Samson’s absence marks another setback for the 31-year-old, who was replaced by Prabhusimran Singh after his stellar performances at home and in the IPL.
