Sanju Samson's father blames Dhoni, Kohli for wasting 10 years of his career

Vishwanath Samson, father of Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson, has made strong allegations against several of Indian cricket’s most celebrated figures, claiming that their decisions have hindered his son’s career. In a recent interview, Vishwanath expressed frustration over what he believes has been a decade of lost opportunities for Sanju, who, despite his talent, has faced irregular selection in the Indian squad.

Sanju Samson is currently playing in the T20I series against South Africa, where he scored a brilliant century in the opening match but was dismissed for a duck in the second game. According to Vishwanath, the inconsistencies in Sanju’s career can be attributed to former Indian captains MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, and Rohit Sharma, as well as ex-coach Rahul Dravid. "There are 3-4 people who wasted 10 years of my son's vital career… captains like Dhoni ji, Virat [Kohli] ji, Rohit [Sharma] ji, and coach [Rahul] Dravid ji," Vishwanath alleged. He accused these cricketing giants of “destroying 10 years” of Sanju’s life by not giving him regular chances on the international stage.

Despite his discontent, Vishwanath praised his son’s resilience and ability to rise above setbacks. "The more they hurt him, the stronger Sanju came out of the crisis," he stated, reflecting on Sanju’s determination to overcome challenges and make a mark with limited opportunities.

Vishwanath Samson’s frustrations weren’t limited to the team leadership; he also criticized former selector Kris Srikkanth for downplaying Sanju’s achievements. According to Vishwanath, Srikkanth belittled Sanju’s maiden T20I century against Bangladesh by implying that it held less significance due to the opposition. Vishwanath countered, “Century is a century… Sanju has scored a hundred and he is a player with a classical touch like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid. At least respect that.”

This is not the first time that family members of Indian cricketers have voiced grievances against management. Yograj Singh, father of former all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, had similarly accused MS Dhoni of undermining his son's career. Such criticisms underscore the intense pressure and scrutiny surrounding the selection process and the limited opportunities available for even the most talented players.