Photo via Hindustan Times

‘Where does he stand?’: Dinesh Karthik questions Sanju Samson’s place in India’s plans

Former Indian wicketkeeper and current Royal Challengers Bengaluru batting coach Dinesh Karthik has publicly questioned the national selection choices ahead of the three-match T20I contest against Afghanistan, which kicks off at Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium. With Shreyas Iyer taking over as skipper, the matches serve as a key tune-up for India's upcoming title defense at the 2026 Asian Games.

Karthik expressed bewilderment over Sanju Samson being sidelined in favor of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, highlighting that Samson was overlooked despite earning Player of the Tournament honors during India's victorious 2026 T20 World Cup run and being benched partway through an earlier series with England.