'Where does Sanju Samson stand?' - Dinesh Karthik questions India’s T20I plans

Karthik blasts India's T20I confusion — "Where does Sanju Samson stand?"

Dinesh Karthik isn't mincing words, and neither will I be when I break this down. The man himself has publicly questioned the BCCI's T20I planning ahead of the Afghanistan series (Opener: today in New Delhi), and honestly? He's asking the right questions.

The core issue: Under new captain Shreyas Iyer (took over June 2026), India look lost. Ireland and England tours? Absolutely outplayed, no results. Now Karthik wants answers on batting order, squad identity, and where star batter Sanju Samson actually fits in.

Samson's rollercoaster: POT at the 2026 T20 WC, then mysteriously dropped mid-England series. Played opener, benched for 3, returned for final T20I, axed for Zimbabwe, back for Afghanistan. Inconsistent selection at its worst. If he was crucial to that WC campaign, why the whiplash?

The wildcard: Teenager Vaibhav Suryavanshi made his debut in Manchester, opened with Abhishek. Another piece of the batting puzzle Karthik flagged. Young blood vs established name — that's the real question.

My take as someone who reads data for a living: This is a team in identity crisis. New captain, new vice-captain, and zero clarity on the bowling unit. Karthik's point about "what does it take?" hits hard. You can't just churn players and expect results.

Why it matters: Afghanistan series is a dress rehearsal ahead of Asian Games 2026 in Japan. Japan clash on Sept 22, QF on the 28th. Next few weeks define India's T20I future.

Bottom line: Iyer needs to show a clear plan, not react. The selectors' swings on Samson are exactly the kind of inconsistency that sinks teams at the highest level.

What's your call on Samson's role? Drop it below.

Source: Crictracker