Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dropped again: Fans fume at India team management as Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson fail in Hamilton

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi dropped again: Fans fume at India team management as Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson fail in Hamilton originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.KEY TAKEAWAYS:India openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson both fell cheaply to Adam Milne in Hamilton.Fans on social media questioned why Vaibhav Sooryavanshi was left out again.Gautam Gambhir had earlier defended the selection by saying his job is not to please everyone.Vaibhav ignored! Fans explode after Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson fall early in 5th T20IVaibhav Sooryavanshi sat out again in Hamilton, and the early collapse of the India openers has given fans another reason to ask why the youngster was not in the XI.Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson were both gone within the first couple of overs of the fifth T20I against New Zealand, and the online reaction was loud and quick.The management had already come under fire after Sooryavanshi was left out for the fourth match in Auckland, despite his quickfire 45 off 19 balls in the third T20I. He had played the second and third games of the series after Ishan Kishan was ruled out through injury, making 4 and then 45, and he was dropped once Kishan came back for the fourth game and again for the fifth.In Auckland, Kishan’s return did not go well, because he was dismissed for a three-ball duck as India were bowled out for 172 while chasing 260. Gautam Gambhir was asked about the decision to leave Sooryavanshi out, and he replied that his job is to make the right choices and not the popular ones. He further added that the dressing room needs security and that players with a long record of success deserve a longer rope.That explanation did little to calm things down in Hamilton, since the match was a dead rubber and India still went with the same combination. The openers then fell to Milne, and the debate on social media grew louder almost immediately.MORE: 'Can't make everyone happy': Gambhir's blunt response to criticism over dropping SooryavanshiFans react to Sooryavanshi being dropped as India’s openers failA fan felt the early wickets had made the case for a change on their own.@LoyalSachinFan wrote: “Both Sanju and Abhishek are back in the pavilion inside the powerplay. Would have been better if they had given Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a chance today.”Both Sanju and Abhishek are back in the pavilion inside the powerplay. Would have been better if they had given Vaibhav Sooryavanshi a chance today. https://t.co/SGqkaVwblx— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) November 1, 2026Another user pointed the finger at the head coach and suggested a personal angle behind the decision.@hit7813 posted: “Gautam Gambhir’s old animosity toward the star players of his era is now reflecting in his treatment of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The coach’s ego is getting in the way of a young prodigy’s career. 🏏💥 #INDvsNZ #GautamGambhir #VaibhavSooryavanshi”@AjayJadeja171 Gautam Gambhir’s old animosity toward the star players of his era is now reflecting in his treatment of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The coach's ego is getting in the way of a young prodigy's career. 🏏💥 #INDvsNZ #GautamGambhir #VaibhavSooryavanshi— Hitesh (@hit7813) November 1, 2026MORE: IND squad for NZ ODI series 2026: Full updates team lists for New Zealand tourA third fan turned to sarcasm and made a joke about Samson’s inconsistency.@AhmedGT_ wrote: “Sanju Samson’s daily routine: - Wake up. - Score in 1 match. - Confirm his place in the XI. - Fail in the next 5 matches. How long Gautam Gambhir’s parchi, Sanju Samson will continue to eat the place of deserving Vaibhav Sooryavanshi? 🤡”Sanju Samson's daily routine: - Wake up. - Score in 1 match. - Confirm his place in the XI. - Fail in the next 5 matches. How long Gautam Gambhir's parchi, Sanju Samson will continue to eat the place of deserving Vaibhav Sooryavanshi? 🤡 https://t.co/OXU2GIk6RW— Ahmed Says (@AhmedGT_) November 1, 2026Others were upset about how the match itself was being used.@iamsom_15 said: “Inconsequential game still no Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson on the other end wasted 10 deliveries. What kind of decision making is this?”Inconsequential game still no Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson on the other end wasted 10 deliveries. What kind of decision making is this? 🤷‍♂️— Somya Kapoor (@iamsom_15) November 1, 2026The last reaction was a blunt call for Samson to be left out in favour of the youngster.@EvilRashford wrote: “Sanju Samson plays one good innings and books his starting XI spot for the next 3-4 games where he fails as expected. He’s literally playing on his World Cup quota now. Just thank him for WC 2026 and respectfully kick him out now for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.”Sanju Samson plays one good innings and books his starting XI spot for the next 3-4 games where he fails as expected. He's literally playing on his World Cup quota now. Just thank him for WC 2026 and respectfully kick him out now for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Gautam Gambhir mc.— Maddy (@EvilRashford) November 1, 2026The Sooryavanshi selection debate will not go away after HamiltonIndia’s openers falling for 1 and 4 does not prove the management was wrong, since a collapse in the first two overs can happen to any team. It does, however, make the original decision look worse, because the same game could have been used to give Sooryavanshi another look at a time when there was nothing at stake.Gambhir has the right to back players with a long record, and there is value in a coach who protects his dressing room from outside noise. Yet the fans are not wrong to wonder about the logic, since a batter who scored 45 off 19 balls in a win did not get a single chance to repeat it in the last two matches.MORE: 'Not doing justice': Yuvraj wants Abhishek, Ishan and Vaibhav in India's ODI squadThe matter is also about fairness. Samson has had a long run, and a poor game is not enough to judge him, though a few cheap dismissals will make people ask why the opening slot has not gone to a younger player.India still have a chance to settle this before the next series. A clear message to Sooryavanshi about what he needs to do to earn a place would calm things down, and it would show that the management values young talent as much as it values experience.For all the latest cricket news, opinion, and commentary, and to share your voice, head to our Facebook, Instagram, and X (Twitter) pages.