"Pure injustice" - Fans react as Sanju Samson misses out on a place in 15-member squad for IND vs AUS ODI series

Sanju Samson was snubbed for the upcoming three-match ODI series as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the India squad on Saturday, October 4. Wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel was picked as the backup keeper alongside KL Rahul ahead of Samson in Rishabh Pant's (injured) absence, drawing reactions from the fans. The move came a day after Jurel smashed his maiden Test ton (125 off 210 balls) against the West Indies in the first Test of the ongoing two-match series.

Interestingly, Samson smashed a century in his last ODI outing. The 30-year-old smashed 108 in South Africa in December 2023. Overall, he has amassed 510 runs in 16 matches at an average of 56.66 with the help of one century and three fifties. He has inflicted 10 dismissals behind the wicket, including eight catches and two stumpings in his short 50-over career.

Fans on X expressed their disappointment as Samson missed out on a place in the India squad for the three ODIs in Australia. One user wrote:

"Why was Sanju Samson not included in the ODI squad? He had scored a century in the last match. Justice for #SanjuSamson."

Another user commented:

"Leaving out Sanju Samson for Dhruv Jurel in the ODI series vs Australia is pure injustice. Despite his brilliant Asia Cup performance, ignoring him is completely unfair. Justice for Sanju Samson!"

A third user added:

"Has to feel for Sanju Samson. Looks like end of road for him in ODIs. He has 100 in SA in last ODI game he played and has average well over 50 in short career he had."

Here are a few more reactions:

Cric Star

@cric__star

I just want to ask @GautamGambhir @ShubmanGill Why Dhruv Jurel has been selected as the backup wicketkeeper when Sanju Samson has performed so well in ODIs. Why is this happening with Sanju? Is it because he’s such a good human being that he simply tolerates it?

Surbhi

@SurrbhiM

@BCCI Why no Sanju Samson in the odi team ? Kuch bhi bakwas selection

Bishwajeet Mahato

@mahato99

Sanju Samson’s career will be like Manoj Tiwary in ODIs where he also hit a century in his last match and then dropped to oblivion.

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"It's more about position" - BCCI selector reveals why Sanju Samson didn't fit for IND vs AUS ODI series

BCCI's chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that Samson didn't find a place for the ODI series in Australia because there was no vacant place for the top order. He said in the press conference (via JioHotstar):

"It's more about position, I mean, Sanju Samson bats at the top of the order. I think when he got the hundred (against SA), he was batting at No.3, if I am not wrong. Jurel usually bats down the order; Rahul bats there as well. I mean, you have seen how good a player Dhruv is."

"I don't think there is room at the top. Sanju, in T20 cricket, is batting there (middle order), we are trying him there, but in ODI cricket, it is a little bit different. It's more about position than anything else."

Meanwhile, the Kerala-born wicketkeeper-batter retained his place in T20Is for the five-match series. Interestingly, he was forced to play in the middle order after Shubman Gill was named the new vice-captain in T20Is. The right-handed batter scored 39 (Sri Lanka) and 13, 24 (vs Pakistan) while batting at No.5 in the recently concluded Asia Cup 2025.