Sun Jan 19 01:08:16 UTC 2025: ## Congress Leader Criticizes Sanju Samson’s Exclusion From Champions Trophy Squad; Blames Kerala Cricket Association

**Thiruvananthapuram:** Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has launched a scathing attack on the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) for its alleged role in Sanju Samson’s exclusion from India’s Champions Trophy squad. Tharoor, in a tweet, accused KCA officials of letting their egos ruin Samson’s career.

Samson, a highly rated batsman with a stellar ODI record (56.66 average, including a recent century against South Africa and a highest score of 212* in the Vijay Hazare Trophy), was reportedly dropped from the Kerala squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy after informing the KCA of his inability to attend a pre-tournament training camp. This omission, Tharoor argues, directly led to his exclusion from the national team. He further stated that KCA’s decision drastically reduced Kerala’s chances in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

While Samson’s exclusion has sparked widespread debate, cricketing legend Sunil Gavaskar offered an explanation. He attributed the selection of Rishabh Pant over Samson to Pant’s superior wicket-keeping skills and ability to be a game-changer, despite acknowledging Samson’s excellent batting performance, including two centuries in his last T20I series against South Africa. Gavaskar emphasized that while Samson’s omission is unfortunate, Pant’s dual capabilities provided a compelling reason for the selectors’ decision.

The Indian 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. Samson’s absence continues to be a point of contention among fans and critics alike.

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