Sat Jan 18 19:17:43 UTC 2025: ## Kerala Cricket Association Blamed for Sanju Samson’s Champions Trophy Snub
**Thiruvananthapuram:** MP Shashi Tharoor has accused the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) of being responsible for the omission of Kerala cricketer Sanju Samson from India’s Champions Trophy squad. Tharoor alleges that despite Samson informing the KCA of his unavailability for the Vijay Hazare Trophy training camp, the KCA’s decision to exclude him from the Vijay Hazare team ultimately led to his exclusion from the national squad.
Samson, who boasts an impressive average of 56.66 in ODIs for India, including a century against South Africa in his last tour, and a high score of 212 runs in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, was overlooked for the Champions Trophy. Tharoor, in a social media post, criticized the KCA’s actions, stating that their decision cost Kerala a place in the Vijay Hazare quarterfinals and ultimately hampered Samson’s career due to the ego of officials.
While the absence from the Vijay Hazare Trophy was previously cited as the reason for Samson’s exclusion, Tharoor’s statement points the finger directly at the KCA’s handling of the situation. The selectors opted for KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant as wicket-keeper batsmen in the Champions Trophy squad, despite Samson’s strong performance and ODI record. Samson, who has played 16 ODIs for India, scoring 510 runs with an average of 56.66, was also left out of the T20 squad for the England series.
The Champions Trophy squad includes Rohit Sharma (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Arshdeep Singh, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rishabh Pant, and Ravindra Jadeja.
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