Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin expressed concern at: Sanju SamsonThe sudden fall in India’s T20I pecking order, questioned whether outside pressure and social media narratives are starting to influence selection decisions. Samson, who was named the Player of the Tournament during India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign earlier this year, has endured a dramatic change in fortunes. After registering three consecutive single-digit scores against Ireland and England, he was dropped from the playing XI in Manchester, with teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi handed his much-anticipated international debut. India lost the match by four wickets, while Sooryavanshi made 14 runs. The wicketkeeper-batter’s struggles continued when he was left out of India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, with Prabhsimran Singh getting the call after an impressive IPL 2026 campaign for the Punjab Kings. Speaking on his YouTube channel Ash Ki BaatAshwin admitted that he was surprised at how quickly Samson was sidelined despite his recent contributions. “Right now, I’m worried. I’m worried because Sanju Samson was removed from the team so quickly. What will Sanju think now? How motivated will he be when he practices in the nets?” Ashwin said. The former spinner also suggested that India could look at reshuffling the batting order rather than pushing Samson out completely. With Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Ishan Kishan all left-handers, Ashwin feels Samson can slot in at no. 3. “Currently, you have three left-handers in the top order: Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi and Ishan Kishan. Now, they will consider Sanju for No. 3, I will tell you. Everyone, including the coaching staff and Gautam Gambhir, knew it wasn’t fair to Sanju. So now they have to manage the situation somehow. “ Ashwin acknowledged that tough calls are part of international cricket but argued that players who consistently repaid the team’s faith deserved a run before being dropped. In his view, Samson earned support through his performances. The veteran also raised a broader concern about whether outside opinion is starting to shape decisions within the Indian setup. Sooryavanshi’s selection was widely demanded by fans after his record-breaking season in the IPL, and Ashwin questioned whether that public sentiment entered the selection process. “I am worried about one thing. Do the social media accounts and all the noise outside find their way into the team? Does that influence the decision-making? I have been watching cricket for a long time and have seen many leaders in the Indian team. They never allowed outside noise to enter the dressing room, and that’s exactly what it needed,” he said. India travel to Zimbabwe later this month for a three-match T20I series in Harare on July 23, 25 and 27. Samson’s absence from the squad marks another loss for the 31-year-old, whose place has gone to Prabhsimran Singh after the latter’s strong domestic and IPL performances.