The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly expressed concern over wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson’s recent weight gain. The lack of communication between the national medical team and the players during off-duty periods is also causing fitness issues within the team.
After winning the Player of the Tournament award at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, Samson struggled in the bilateral series against Ireland and England. He has been rested for the upcoming three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe, starting on Thursday, under the captaincy of Shreyas Iyer.
BCCI worried about Sanju Samson’s weight gain – report
According to the report of Times of India, the Indian team management has expressed concern over the fitness of many players. The report said that young cricketers like Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana and Nitish Kumar Reddy have spent a lot of time with physiotherapists.
The report also said that the gap in communication between the national medical team and the players during the off-duty period has affected the overall fitness, including Sanju Samson’s weight gain.
A BCCI source told The Times of India, “Apart from Washington, who has always had fitness problems, Sanju Samson gaining weight so easily is worrying. This is a result of the difference in the system. These fitness problems have led to a decline in the overall fielding standard.”
Rohit Sharma himself had to check BCCI database to identify hamstring injury.
The report also claims that during the recent IPL season, Rohit Sharma himself had to check the BCCI medical database to identify his hamstring injury, as the Mumbai Indians medical staff could not determine the issue for almost a month.
“These days, there are very few players across all formats. Most players get good breaks between international assignments. If they are not getting rehabilitated in the CoE, they are left to their own devices. There is very little communication,” the source said.
“The players need a more pragmatic sympathetic approach from the medical team. At the moment, most experienced international cricketers are reluctant to seek the intervention of the CoE. They prefer to train in their own arrangements elsewhere. This needs to be addressed,” the source told The Times of India.
Sanju Samson’s form declined after his brilliant performance in the T20 World Cup.
Sanju Samson enjoyed a dream campaign in the T20 World Cup 2026, where he became the Player of the Tournament. The wicketkeeper-batsman scored 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, which included three consecutive match-winning innings to help India win the title.
However, Samson could not continue that form in the following bilateral series. He scored 0 and 5 against Ireland and then scored only 1 during the England T20I series and lost his place in the playing eleven. However, he bounced back in the final T20I and scored 27 runs off 14 balls. But India failed to win even the last game.
Selectors have rested Samson for the three-match T20 series against ZimbabweThe team management has opted to give opportunities to younger players while managing the workload of some senior cricketers.
