The curious case of Sanju Samson who plays under an expiry date

By K.R. Nayar

Sanju Samson has been dropped again. This time, the axe has fallen before the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. A study of Samson’s career reveals a blatant truth: he tops the list among Indian cricketers to be dropped from the Indian team the maximum number of times and has been ignored from the playing eleven despite being part of the squad.

Samson has been dropped for the Zimbabwe series after just three scores of 5, 0, and 1, but this came after knocks of 97 not out, 89, and 89 that helped India win the T20 World Cup. This literally means that the selectors are walking around him with an axe. In fact, he got the chance to play those match-winning knocks in the T20 World Cup after the selectors tried their best to keep him out of the playing eleven, but were forced to include him towards the end. For the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup, the selectors had happily kept him out of the eleven throughout the tournament, as if his best role was to warm the bench.

Those who support his exclusion argue that Samson deserves to be dropped because he has not consistently contributed to victories. But then comes the big question: wasn’t patience shown to other players during their difficult phases? Players have remained in the team for years without a century on even a half- century. Hasn’t Samson also shown that if he plays a big innings, India will almost certainly sail to victory? Why are selectors impatient when it comes to him even though he is one of the finest match-winners?

One reason that Samson loses his wicket early at times is his attacking style. Even after failing in the previous match, he does not choose to restrain his strokes. He plays fearless cricket because he believes his job is to win matches, not to protect his place in the team.

But the selectors seem to carry a long list of reasons to drop Samson. It almost looks like they enter every selection committee meeting with a prepared list of arguments against retaining him. Did Samson make a mistake by choosing to be a wicketkeeper? Very often he is dropped to include another wicketkeeping batter even if the selected player’s wicketkeeping skills may not be any close to Samson’s calibre. Samson is worthy of playing as a specialist match-winning batter if he is allowed to play without the constant fear of being dropped.

Usually, cricketers battle for a place in the team. In Samson’s case, it is a constant fight to retain his place. He barely gets enough opportunities to settle down. Samson has never been able to walk out to bat with the ease that he is a permanent member of the team. Every chance to bat must feel like another opportunity granted by the grace of the selectors or the coach. So, if he fails, a flight ticket back to his hometown, Trivandrum, always appears to be ready. When it comes to Samson, the message seems to be: “Perform Today or Pack Tomorrow.”

When Samson fails despite possessing enormous talent, nobody questions how a cricketer can build consistency when opportunities arrive only in instalments. There is always a ready-made reason for his exclusion. The common one being- he does not fit into the team’s combination. Is he a cricketer or a food item on a menu where different combinations decide his place?

Samson has never been given a long rope; all he receives is a thin thread. Despite being the Player of the Tournament in a World Cup four months back, he still carries the tag of a temporary appearance player. For him, selectors are like a ticking time bomb. They highlight his three failed knocks or point towards his age, knowing very well that he performed in the World Cup despite getting older and patiently waiting for his next opportunity.

Under normal circumstances, it is a player’s talent that opens the doors to the team. However, it is the trust that selectors have on him or her that is essential to remain inside. In Samson’s case, the exit door is always open, carrying a message: “Thank you, we’ll call you when needed.” Even that call is likely to arrive with an expiry date.