KCA accuses Sanju Samson of indiscipline after Tharoor bats for the star dropped by BCCI

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Sanju Samson's exclusion from India's Champions Trophy squad has opened a heated debate, with Member of Parliament Shashi Tharoor targeting the Kerala Cricket Association, which in turn has launched a scathing attack on the star batter.
Tharoor's argument was based on the understanding that Sanju's non-participation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy was a significant reason for his omission from the Rohit Sharma-led 15-member squad announced on Saturday.
Tharoor, who is the MP of Thiruvananthapuram, Sanju's hometown, accused the KCA of ruining the batter's chance of representing the country in the premier 50-over event because of their ego. "A batsman who has a highest score of 212* in the Hazare, who averages 56.66 in ODIs for India (including a century in his last outing, against South Africa) is having his career destroyed by the egos of cricket administrators. Doesn't it bother the KCA bosses that by leaving Sanju out, they ensured Kerala didn't even reach the quarter-finals of the Hazare? Where does this leave him?" Tharoor posted on the social media platform X, also called Twitter.
In response, KCA President Jayesh George accused Sanju of indiscipline, claiming the player walked out on the Kerala camp on at least two occasions this season. "We did not take any disciplinary action even though we should have as he stayed away from the preparatory camp without citing a reason," Jayesh George told Manorama News. "He (Sanju) just sent a casual text, 'I won't be available for the camp'. Shouldn't a senior player give a reason for staying away? He walked out of the Ranji Trophy against Karnataka, saying there was a medical emergency, without specifying what it was. Even then, we did not take any disciplinary action considering his future," he added.
A source close to Sanju said earlier this week that he had sent a second mail expressing his desire to be part of the Kerala squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy, but the KCA ignored it. KCA Secretary Vinod S Kumar told Onmanorama that by the time the player reached out, the camp was over, and the association did not feel it was right to sacrifice a youngster for the sake of Sanju.
Sanju was part of India's T20 World Cup-winning squad last June. Though he last played an ODI in December 2023, Sanju was exceptional the last time he pulled on the India jersey, scoring two T20I centuries in a South Africa series.