'Kept Sanju Samson benched': Gambhir's 'double standards' over Shubman Gill called out

Ahead of the IND vs SA 3rd T20I, Kaif has called out the double standards of Gautam Gambhir over Sanju Samson and Shubman Gill

Former Indian cricketer Mohammed Kaif has opined that the time has come for the team management to drop Shubman Gill from the playing XI in T20Is and pick Sanju Samson instead. His remarks come after the Indian vice-captain has witnessed consistent failures in the shortest format of the game since his return in the Asia Cup 2025. Ahead of the IND vs SA 3rd T20I, Kaif has called out the double standards of Gautam Gambhir, while pointing out that Samson deserved a chance in the playing XI.

Should India drop Gill for Samson?

In a video on his YouTube channel, Kaif claimed that the time had come to drop vice-captain Gill from the playing XI, pointing out that he had tried to play aggressively but had failed on multiple occasions. He noted that Samson was a top-quality player who deserved more chances, and said that it will be in the interest of the team to drop Gill and bring in someone who was better.

“Gill has tried everything. I think the time has come to give him a break and try players who are proven. Sanju Samson is a top-quality player; he hasn’t received enough chances. There should not be double standards. Even vice-captains have been dropped before. If it is in the team’s interest to rest Gill and bring in someone else, there is nothing wrong with it,” Kaif said.

Samson lost his place as an opener in the Indian T20I side following Gill’s return earlier this year. Despite scoring three centuries in the previous calendar year, and being the only Indian to do so, the Kerala keeper-batter is now forced to play at an unfamiliar position in the middle-order. Further, there is no guarantee for his place in the playing XI as he has been replaced by Jitesh Sharma recently in a couple of games.

“But now it feels like the time has come for changes. You dropped players like Jaiswal, you kept Sanju Samson on the bench without giving him consistent chances, even though he scored heavily as an opener. He hit three centuries in five T20 innings, something no one in history has done. Some players get very few chances, while others get extended runs because you want to settle them in the team. That is clearly visible. But now, I think the pressure has increased so much that it is time for a change somewhere,” Kaif added.