"One warm up match is enough to sit Sanju out" - Fans react to Sanju Samson's exclusion from India's XI for 2024 T20 World Cup opener vs Ireland

Team India went with Rishabh Pant over Sanju Samson as their wicketkeeper in the playing XI for the 2024 T20 World Cup opener against Ireland in New York on June 5. The move created an outrage among fans with several believing that Samson was handed a raw deal.

Captaining the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the recently concluded 2024 IPL, the 29-year-old displayed incredible batting form. Samson finished with 531 runs at an average of 48.27 and a strike rate of 153.46 in 15 games.

Meanwhile, Pant fared well himself, scoring 446 runs at an average of 40.54 and a strike rate of 155.40 in 13 outings. However, the southpaw has not played an international game since his horrific accident in December 2022, while Samson played as recently as the Afghanistan T20Is.

Fans on Twitter felt the duo's contrasting performances in India's lone warm-up game against Bangladesh may have tilted the favor in Pant's direction. While Samson was dismissed for a six-ball one, Pant scored an impressive 53 off 32 deliveries.

Here are some of the best reactions:

Fans continued to express their unhappiness at Sanju Samson's exclusion with one saying:

"Whole ipl sanju samson played at no 3 and now just seeing one practice match inning of rishabh pant they will give opportunity to rishabh at this position no wonder why they are not winning world cup."

"Here we go again dropped Sanju Samson from team for PR merchant and t20 failure," said a fan.

"Sanju had experience against Ireland and good record he could have been an option pathetic team selection," a fan tweeted.

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"This is the most prepared and experienced I can come into a World Cup like this" - Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson feels his selection to the Indian squad for the 2024 T20 World Cup came at the ideal time, considering how well-prepared he is for the tournament.

Despite a mediocre T20I record with an average of only 18.70 in 25 games, the stylist right-hander was picked based on his excellent IPL form and overall versatility.

In a recent interview shared by the BCCI, Samson said:

"This is the most prepared and experienced I acan come into a World Cup like this. Many years of lots and lots of failures, with some successes here and there. Life and cricket have taught me everything I needed to know before we came into this crucial tournament, actually. The IPL itself had covered all my mindspace, there was a lot to do and a lot to think about. Being the captain, had a lot on my mind. But, somewhere in my mind I knew that World Cup selections were around, and it was a huge thing."

Meanwhile, India won the toss and elected to field first in their tournament opener against Ireland.

Along with Samson, his RR teammates Yashasvi Jaiswal and Yuzvendra Chahal and left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav have also been excluded from the playing XI.