Sanjay Manjrekar's remarks come at a time when Sanju Samson's place in India's T20 setup has become one of the biggest talking points in Indian cricket. After losing his spot in the playing XI during the England series, the 31-year-old was also left out of the squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. While multiple reports have suggested that the decision was part of India's broader squad planning rather than a permanent axing, Sanjay Manjrekar believes Samson can strengthen his case by reaching the fitness standards set by Kohli.
The wicketkeeper-batter had endured a difficult run on the Ireland and England tours, registering scores of 5, 0 and 1, before India handed 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi his international debut. However, Cricinfo reported that those three low scores were not the primary reason behind Samson's omission from the Zimbabwe squad.
The decision nevertheless surprised many because it came only months after Samson enjoyed the best phase of his international career. He finished as the third-highest run-scorer at the 2026 T20 World Cup and was named Player of the Tournament after producing three successive match-winning knocks in the business end of the competition.
Sanjay Manjrekar tells Sanju Samson to improve fitness and take inspiration from Virat Kohli
Reacting to Sanju Samson's omission, Sanjay Manjrekar said he believes fitness is the only valid cricketing reason that could justify leaving the Kerala batter out of the playing XI. The former India batter stressed that Samson needs to improve his physical conditioning and should look up to Virat Kohli, who has set the benchmark for fitness in Indian cricket.
Only reason that is valid for Samson dropping is his fitness. If that’s the reason, it’s a fair call. Samson not helping his cause by not being in peak physical condition. At this stage of his career, Samson must keep Virat as his role model.
— Sanjay Manjrekar (@sanjaymanjrekar) July 8, 2026His athleticism has remained one of his biggest strengths throughout his career. Whether sprinting hard between the wickets, patrolling the boundary for long periods or maintaining intensity across five-day Test matches, Kohli has consistently operated at an elite physical level.
Gautam Gambhir opens up on Sanju Samson's axing
Gautam Gambhir further explained that India's current T20I team is going through a transition following the World Cup, with several changes in personnel, including a new captain and young players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi being introduced. According to the head coach, rebuilding a side takes time, and the management remains focused on selecting the combination they believe gives India the best chance of winning while also developing players for the future.
Virat Kohli, meanwhile, appears close to returning to international cricket. Reports have stated that he has successfully completed his medical fitness assessment at the BCCI Centre of Excellence after recovering from the injury he suffered during the IPL 2026 final. He is expected to return for India's ODI series against England, which will serve as an important step in India's preparations for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
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