Indian cricketer Sanju Samson’s father has lashed out at the KCA after his son snubbed the 2025 Champions Trophy.
Over the years several players have been waiting for an opportunity to prove their skills in Indian cricket. However, no one waited to that extent Sanju Samson– a sensational wicket-keeper batsman who has proved his mettle time and again and has been waiting for steady opportunities in Indian cricket.
Recently, Sanju was left out of the Indian team for Champions Trophy 2025 and ODI series vs England. Many, including Sanju’s father Samson Viswanath, pointed out that the reason for Sanju’s exclusion from the team was bias against the player Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) officials who rejected him from playing for the national team in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.
Sanju’s father pointed out the KCA’s bias against his son
Sanju’s father expressed his disappointment over his son’s exclusion from the Kerala squad, a decision that eventually led to Sanju being left out of India’s Champions Trophy squad. Although Viswanath refrained from directly criticizing the KCA, his frustration with the selection process is clearly visible. In an interview with Mathrubhumi.comexplained that the decision to drop Sanju from the Vijay Hazare Trophy squad was taken before the training camp even started.
“We have never raised our voices before, but this time the situation is different,” said Vishwanath, alluding to the injustice he felt his son had suffered. However, despite his frustrations, Viswanath emphasized the importance of amicable resolution of issues and expressed openness to discussing any potential glitches.
“We just want fairness and for my son to get a fair chance to play,” Vishwanath concluded, stressing the importance of equal opportunities in the Kerala team for his son and hoping that the matter would be resolved calmly and clearly.
Sanju’s exclusion from the Kerala and India squads sparked widespread controversy, attracting support from public figures such as politicians Shashi Tharoorwho called on the KCA to ensure a more transparent and fair selection process. Although Viswanath stopped short of accusing the KCA of any wrongdoing, his comments underscore the emotional toll of the situation, as both he and Sanju hope for a chance to compete at the highest level, free from internal politics.
Also read: Champions Trophy 2025: Shashi Tharoor slams KCA after Sanju Samson’s exclusion from Team India
KCA revealed the reasons behind Sanju’s exclusion from the Kerala team
Amid widespread criticism from the cricketing community over the suspension dispute, the KCA president Jayesh George explained the reason why the 30-year-old was left out of the country’s Vijay Hazare Trophy squad during a chat with MediaOne.
“I am not sure if Samson’s absence from the tournament is the reason why he was excluded. The reason he was not included in Vijay Hazare’s squad was that he sent a one-line text saying he would not be available for the 30-man preparatory camp. We all had the impression that he would lead the team since he is our captain with the white ball, and he also led in the SMAT season.” said George.
However, George denied any punitive action against Sanju and further added that the decision to exclude Sanju from the team was only to follow the rules and regulations of the national team.
“We went ahead and announced the squad and he later sent a message saying he was available for selection. Be it Sanju Samson or any other player, KCA has a policy that must be followed. We all know that Sanju doesn’t need a camp to make the team, but is the Kerala team such that he can come and represent them only when he feels like it? How Samson got to the Indian team, only through KCA. That doesn’t mean you turn up only when you feel for the Kerala team,” George concluded.
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