The Sanju Samson-KCA controversy: what we know so far

Indian cricketer Sanju Samson is widely regarded as one of the most celebrated players in the country. Though always praised for his potential, Sanju struggled to deliver consistent results in international cricket. However, he made a significant impact in India’s final ODI of 2023, scoring his maiden century in 50-overs cricket against South Africa.

In 2024, Sanju was selected for the T20 World Cup squad. While the Men in Blue won the tournament, he didn’t get any game time. Nevertheless, he has since excelled in the T20I format, becoming the first cricketer to score three T20I centuries in a calendar year.

With the highly anticipated ICC Champions Trophy 2025 approaching, there was widespread expectation that Sanju would be named in the squad. However, on January 18, when the squad was announced, the 30-year-old was overlooked, with Rishabh Pant being selected ahead of him.

Sanju’s omission from the Champions Trophy squad was soon linked to his absence from the recently concluded Vijay Hazare Trophy. Earlier, on January 15, Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) secretary Vinod S Kumar confirmed to Onmanorama that Sanju had expressed his desire to participate in the List-A competition.

However, he had previously stated that he would not be available for the three-day preparatory camp ahead of the tournament. According to Kumar, the 30-year-old had sent two emails, with the first one reading:

"This is to inform you that I'll not be available for the camp."

The KCA official noted that Samson did not offer any particular explanation for his decision. Kumar further added:

"And Sachin (Baby) was also unavailable due to an injury. We were missing two senior players, so we decided to try out youngsters in their place."

As reported by Onmanorama, Sanju later confirmed his availability ahead of Kerala’s opening game in the Vijay Hazare Trophy against Baroda on December 23. Despite this, he was not selected. Kumar clarified the decision, saying:

"But by then, the squad was finalized. It would have been unfair to sacrifice a youngster at that point."

Since then, the KCA has faced considerable criticism for its handling of Sanju Samson. The backlash intensified after it was revealed that other players who missed the camp were later included in the team, while Sanju was left out.

Many have pointed to his absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy as the main reason behind his exclusion from the Champions Trophy squad.

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“I am not sure if missing the tournament was the reason he was excluded” - KCA President criticizes Sanju Samson for missing Vijay Hazare Trophy camp

As the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) faced criticism for its treatment of Sanju Samson, their president Jayesh George responded on January 19, criticizing the wicketkeeper-batter. He pointed out that Sanju had only confirmed his availability for the Vijay Hazare Trophy after the squad had already been announced.

Speaking to MediaOne, he said (via Indian Express):

"I am not sure if Samson missing the tournament was the reason he was excluded. The reason he was not added in the Vijay Hazare squad was because he sent a one-line text saying he would not be available for the 30-member preparatory camp. We were all of the impression that he would be leading the team since he is our white-ball captain and had led in the SMAT season as well."

"So we went ahead and announced the squad and later he sent a message stating he is available for selection. Be it Sanju Samson or any other player, KCA has a policy in place that needs to be respected. We all know that Sanju does not need a camp to come into the squad, but is the Kerala team one that he can come and represent only when he feels like? How did Samson reach the Indian team, it was only through the KCA. That doesn’t mean you turn up only when you feel like for the Kerala team,” he added.

Meanwhile, Kerala had a disappointing campaign, winning only two out of six games and failing to qualify for the knockout rounds.

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“Doesn't it bother the KCA bosses” - Congress MP slams KCA over Sanju Samson controversy

Renowned Indian politician Shashi Tharoor criticized the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) for mishandling the situation surrounding the wicketkeeper-batter.

Tharoor accused the KCA of being too harsh on the right-handed batter, despite him informing them in advance about his unavailability for the camp. He expressed his views on X, stating:

"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 added.

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Sanju Samson’s father makes stunning claim

On January 21, amid the ongoing controversy, Sanju Samson’s father, Samson Viswanath, alleged that some figures within the Kerala Cricket Association hold personal grudges against his son. He claimed that his son's exclusion was premeditated, saying:

“There are people within KCA who have something against my child. We’ve never spoken out against the association before, but this time, it’s become too much. Sanju isn’t the only one who didn’t attend the camp; yet other players in the same situation were allowed to play," he told Mathrubhumi (via News 18).

"It's not about Jayesh George (KCA president) or Vinod (KCA secretary); it’s some small people in between who turn everything into poison over trivial matters," he added.

As the controversy and blame games continue to intensify, Sanju Samson is set to return to the field on Wednesday, January 22, when India take on England in the first match of the five-game T20I series in Kolkata.