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Former Team India cricketer Sadagoppan Ramesh criticized national team selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar for dropping Sanju Samson after only three poor performances in the ongoing tour of the United Kingdom with the Indian cricket team.
In a polite reminder, Ramesh said that Ajit Agarkar is still in the chief selector’s chair only because of Sanju Samson. Had Samson not performed well in the last few laps of the 2026 T20 World Cup, the final result of the tournament and Ajit Agarkar’s fate could have been different.
Ajit Agarkar himself is in extension period: Sadagoppan Ramesh
As per the original contract, Ajit Agarkar’s role as head of the selection panel was scheduled to end in June. Due to the success of Team India in the T20 World Cup 2026, he has got a one-year contract extension.
“Agarkar, who dropped Samson, is himself in the extension period. His contract was due to expire in June, but the T20 World Cup win helped him extend his time. And it was Sanju who played a major role behind that win.”
Sadagoppan Ramesh said on his YouTube channel, Vanakkam SAGO with Ramesh, “So Sanju Samson is the reason why Agarkar has remained a selector even in this extended period. It is extremely harsh behavior to drop someone for three matches after being named player of the tournament in the World Cup.”
Sanju Samson’s heroics help India win 2026 T20 World Cup title easily
Sanju Samson struggling with his form is nothing new. The extremely talented keeper-batsman has struggled with poor form on several occasions ahead of the 2026 T20 World Cup. Due to a decline in his batting, the team management dropped him from the playing eleven in the early stages of the tournament and promoted Ishan Kishan as the opening batsman.
Samson bounced back – back in style – during the knockout fixtures and must-win group matches. In 5 matches, the top-order batsman maintained an average of 80 and a strike rate of around 200. In the semi-finals and final, in back-to-back games, Sanju Samson scored 80+ runs in each match.
Ramesh said, “In the semi-finals and the final, he had the opportunity to complete his century. But without thinking selfishly about individual achievements, he played for the team and got out. Such players of the team should be supported first of all.”
In the final match against New Zealand, the 31-year-old scored 89 runs off 46 balls. In the semi-final against England, the top-order batsman scored 89 runs off 42 balls. In the Super 8 match, which was against West Indies, Samson remained unbeaten on 97 runs off 50 balls.
Ignoring Sanju Samson has started a new debate
Samson scored a total of 321 runs at an average of 77.33 and an explosive strike rate of 199.11 in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, earning him the ‘Player of the Tournament’ award.
The former cricketer expressed concern, “How can a player of the tournament be dropped from the team after three failures in the World Cup? Out of those three innings, the entire team failed in two innings in Ireland. It seems that the people who took these three innings forgot about their previous three innings which had won India the World Cup.”