Sanju Samson Kerala Squad Exclusion: Sanju Samson has recently made headlines because of his selection controversy with the Kerala Cricket Association. His exclusion from the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024–25 squad became a major topic of discussion in Indian cricket.

Controversy Between Kerala Cricket Association and Sanju Samson

The Kerala team’s white-ball captain, Sanju Samson, was left off the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024–25 squad after he failed to show up for the training camp. The keeper-batter informed KCA in a brief email that he would be available for the competition but was unable to attend the camp. However, the KCA removed him from the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2024–25 squad due to his one-liner email and his inability to attend the training. According to recent reports in RevSportz, the BCCI was also annoyed with Sanju Samson’s antics and did not contribute to his rejection.

Despite slamming a tonne in his most recent ODI against South Africa and playing well in T20Is, Sanju was reportedly not included in Rohit Sharma’s Indian cricket team for the Champions Trophy 2025 because he chose to forgo the 2024–25 Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Also Read: Ranji Trophy 2025: Rohit Sharma to Feature in Just 2 Matches – Here’s the Reason
Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor reacted to the issue and said “The sorry 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 the Vijay Hazare Trophy tournaments, and was promptly dropped from the squad — has now resulted in Sanju’s exclusion from the Indian team. A batsman who has a highest score of 212* in the Hazare, who averages 56.66 in ODIs for India (including a century in his last outing, against South Africa) is having his career destroyed by the egos of cricket administrators. Doesn’t it bother the KCA bosses that by leaving Sanju out, they ensured Kerala didn’t even reach the quarter-finals of the Hazare? Where does this leave him?,” he wrote on X

Sanju Samson’s Father Reaction:

Samson Viswanath, the father of star India wicketkeeper batsman Sanju Samson, responded to the controversy against the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) and said that certain board officials were purposefully denying his son opportunities to play cricket.

“There are people within KCA who have something against my child,” We have never before voiced our opposition to the association, but this time it has gotten out of hand. Other players in the same circumstance were permitted to participate, therefore Sanju is not the only player who did not attend the camp,” he said.

He stated, “It’s not about Vinod (KCA secretary) or Jayesh George (KCA president); it’s some small people in between who turn everything into poison over insignificant matters.”

Currently, Samson and the Suryakumar Yadav-led team are presently in Kolkata getting ready for the T20I series against England, which is set to begin on January 22. India will meet England in five Twenty20 Internationals.