Harbhajan Singh expresses disappointment over Sanju Samson’s exclusion from the West Indies series

Sanju Samson was recalled for the T20I series against Bangladesh earlier this month but was not given any chances during the series. Given his good performances in domestic cricket, many had opined that the Kerala batsman should have been in the playing XI against Bangladesh.

And just when fans thought that Samson would be given a chance in the upcoming home series against the West Indies, it so turned out that the batsman has not even been included in the 15-member squad.

Just like many others, veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh is unhappy with Samson’s exclusion. Soon after the selectors met up in Kolkata and announced the squads for the West Indies home series, Samson put up a smiley as a Tweet, as if to convey his disappointment.

Senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor expressed his disappointment over Samson’s exclusion on Twitter, and soon Harbhajan too joined the bandwagon. He said that the selectors need to be replaced while also urging BCCI president and his former captain Sourav Ganguly to intervene in the matter.

Very disappointed to see @IamSanjuSamson dropped without a chance. He carried the drinks for three T20Is & has been promptly discarded. Are they testing his batting or his heart? https://t.co/ydXgwOylBi

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 21, 2019

“I guess they r testing his heart  #selectionpanelneedtobechanged need strong people there.. hope dada @SGanguly99 will do the needful’ – read Harbhajan’s tweet which was in reply to Tharoor’s read which read thus – “Very disappointed to see @IamSanjuSamson dropped without a chance. He carried the drinks for three T20Is & has been promptly discarded. Are they testing his batting or his heart?

I guess they r testing his heart 💔 #selectionpanelneedtobechanged need strong people there.. hope dada @SGanguly99 will do the needful https://t.co/RJiGVqp7nk

— Harbhajan Turbanator (@harbhajan_singh) November 25, 2019

Sanju Samson had earned his maiden India call-up way back in 2014 when he was just 18 years of age. He was included in the squad for the England tour but he could not make his debut. However, he did make debut against Zimbabwe the following year but was dropped after that tour and thereafter earned a recalled only earlier this month for the Bangladesh series.

Samson’s disappointment and Harbhajan’s criticism is fair enough because the batsman has been one of the most consistent performers in IPL as well as domestic cricket and India A. But as long as the selectors keep giving a longer rope to Rishabh Pant, Samson will have to wait.