What a former India captain wants Sanju Samson to do after making T20 World Cup squad: '...you can’t be removed'

Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has sounded a massive warning to Sanju Samson as he was picked as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter for the T20 World Cup 2026. After being sidelined in favour of Shubman Gill, Samson bounced back in the reckoning with a solid 37 in the fifth and final T20 against South Africa, which India won by 30 runs to clinch the series 3-1.

Samson was included in the playing XI after a toe injury ruled out Shubman Gill. And the inclusion could not have come at a better time. Gill, who has had a poor 2025 in T20Is, failing to score a single 50 in 15 innings, has been excluded from the T20 World Cup 2026 squad, while Samson is now guaranteed to play as an opener in the ICC event for India alongside Abhishek Sharma.

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Interestingly, it was Gill who was made India opener during the Asia Cup 2025 in September, replacing Samson, who gradually lost his place in the playing XI.

Srikkanth sends big advice to Samson

Former India captain and 1983 World Cup winner, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, has now advised Samson that he would be under a lot of scrutiny and urged the batters to try to convert the starts into big scores.

“He batted really well. What an innings it was. Some of the strokes he played were brilliant. When he is striking, he is striking deadly. Only thing I will tell Sanju is, don’t get out on 37. Convert that 37 into 73. If you do that, you can’t be removed. People forget 30s and 40s,” said Srikkanth.

“Sanju Samson got one chance and he grabbed it in yesterday’s match. I think they might have told him [Gill] yesterday that you don’t play. Maybe that’s why he was declared unfit. They might have told him that he’s not in the team.”

Srikkanth added that India would become an invincible side when captain Suryakumar Yadav rediscovers his form.

“He [Pandya] was batting like ‘Mission Impossible’. It was just outstanding to watch him bat. If you look at the top five, if Suryakumar Yadav hits form, this batting line-up will destroy opponents. It is an intimidating and devastating batting line-up,” he added.