IND vs SA 2025: Why Is Sanju Samson Not Playing the 1st T20I? Explained
Sanju Samson misses 1st T20I as India choose team balance with Dube, Axar and Jitesh in a strong Cuttack playing XI.
India began the T20I series in Cuttack with a bold combination, and the first big question fans asked was simple. Why is Sanju Samson not in the playing XI?
South Africa won the toss and chose to bowl first. Aiden Markram said conditions looked good in India and the dew might trouble bowlers later. He also said this series is perfect preparation for the World Cup.
Suryakumar Yadav said India were unsure about the pitch since it looked greener a day before. He was happy to bat first and treat the dew as a challenge. He said the team wants to use every game before the World Cup to test players and enjoy the contest.
Suryakumar also confirmed the three names missing out. Sanju Samson, Kuldeep Yadav, Washington Sundar and Harshit Rana did not make the final XI. He called it a good headache and said competition for places is strong.
Why Samson Missed Out
Sanju’s absence is mainly due to team balance. India wanted an extra all round option in Shivam Dube and an extra spinner in Axar Patel. They also preferred Jitesh Sharma as the wicketkeeper to keep better batting depth in the middle overs. This pushed Samson out for the first match.
The team also went with a settled top order of Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill and Suryakumar. With only one wicketkeeper spot available, Samson had to sit out. Management often rotates players across a long season, so he could still get a chance later in the series.
India’s Playing XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy and Arshdeep Singh.
