Tough Decision to Drop Samson, Vibhav Must Wait: Gautam Gambhir

New Delhi, September 18 (Daily Kiran) : The Indian cricket team recently completed a clean sweep against Afghanistan, winning the three-match T20 series 3-0. Despite his impressive performance in the previous series, left-handed opener Vaibhav Suryaanshi did not get a chance to play in any of the matches. Following India’s victory, head coach Gautam Gambhir addressed the media, stating that Vibhav will need to wait for his opportunity.

During the press conference, Gambhir spoke highly of Sanju Samson, saying, “I believe his talent is enough to make an impact. He has shown what he is capable of. No player becomes ‘Player of the Tournament’ in the World Cup without talent. He has done a lot.” He described the decision to leave Samson out of the England series as perhaps the most challenging of his coaching career.

Vibhav had performed well in the Zimbabwe series, earning the title of Player of the Series. This led to speculation that he might open the batting alongside Abhishek in the Afghanistan series. However, the Indian team management opted to stick with the successful opening pair of Samson and Abhishek, which paid off. The duo contributed significantly to India’s series victory, amassing a combined total of 346 runs. Abhishek scored one century and one half-century in three innings, while Samson added two half-centuries. In the third T20, they forged a partnership of 142 runs for the first wicket.

When asked about the decision to retain Abhishek and Samson as openers, Gambhir remarked, “I have always been clear that we want to return to the combination we had during the World Cup. Just because they fail three or four times doesn’t mean they are bad players.”

He further emphasized that a team that remains unbeaten from one World Cup to another and wins the tournament is formidable. “A team doesn’t become poor after one or two series, and players don’t become bad after two or three failures,” he added.

Regarding Vibhav, Gambhir noted, “He has been clearly informed about where he stands. Age doesn’t matter when it comes to playing for India. We know the kind of talent he possesses and what he can do. But he will have to wait for his chance.”