India head coach Gautam Gambhir spoke to Sanju Samson, who was dropped from the Playing XI, to include Vaibhav Sooryavanshi in the Playing XI in the second T20I against England in Manchester. The right-handed batter was the only change from the series opener. He scored just 6 runs in the previous three outings and was shown the door before the Old Trafford match.

The team management was forced to make a big call after Samson scored 1 run off 7 balls in the previous game. With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi waiting for a chance, the decision-makers decided to reward him for his consistency.

Samson once again finds himself out of the team, with an uncertain future. The current head coach, Gambhir, has always highlighted the need to have clear communication, and he once led from the front by explaining the reasons for giving a chance to Samson. He was seen in a one-on-one talk with the cricketer in the field in his trademark serious mood.

The opener looked calm and composed and even hugged the coach, taking the decision sportingly. Gambhir has backed the opening batter, and his support played a key role in Samson’s magnificent display in the global tournament.

He was the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup 2026 for his three top innings in the must-win games for the side. He had a decent IPL 2026 with the Chennai Super Kings, but his form dropped against the Irish and English teams.

The Kerala-based batter started the year with five failures against the visiting New Zealand team. He amassed 46 runs in 5 matches, which led to his exclusion from the playing XI for the World Cup before being recalled midway. In 2026, he was dismissed for a single-digit score in six out of 13 innings, including three times in the ongoing UK tour.