Sanju Samson and Gautam Gambhir (Source: AFP)
The recent selection of the Indian team for the Asia Cup 2025 has been a matter of hot debate in the Indian cricketing circles. The ouster of Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shreyas Iyer has not gone well with a lot of people, while there is also scepticism that Sanju Samson will lose his opening spot because of Shubman Gill.
Many people have criticised the head coach, Gautam Gambhir, for it and are accusing him of backstabbing Sanju Samson. In the past, Gambhir has spoken very highly of Sanju Samson, but the latest move to bring Gill back as an opener is seen as a decision contrary to those views.
Sanju Samson Recalled His Childhood Memory Of Gautam Gambhir
Many also believe that Sanju Samson is a victim of BCCI's politics, and despite good performances, he often fails to grab the attention of the stakeholders. In this context, Sanju Samson's interview with Gaurav Kapur on Breakfast with Champions is an interesting one.
The interview was aired three years ago, and in that Sanju Samson talks about his childhood days in Delhi. The cricketer mentions that he enjoyed his time in Delhi and played Under-13 with Nitish Rana. He also added that Gautam Gambhir was the big player they used to look upto while practising in Delhi.
Samson's Journey To Grab Attention Started In Delhi
The RR captain mentioned that Gambhir used to be very focused while playing. He stated that while batting, he used to keep one eye towards Gambhir, and whenever he played a shot, he used to hope that the current Indian head coach would recognise it. ("Mera Ek Shot Dekh Lo, Gautam Bhai").
Nevertheless, it was Rahul Dravid who first took notice of Sanju Samson's talent. Samson's career has not been a smooth ride, but since the time Gambhir has taken over, he has excelled as an opener. However, that spot seems to be in danger now, and it would be interesting to see how things shape up in the marquee tournament.
