Dinesh Karthik defends Sanju Samson, says Vaibhav Sooryavanshi must earn the right to play

Dinesh Karthik has thrown his support behind Sanju Samson despite the wicketkeeper batter's poor run of form, urging India to resist the growing calls to bring teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi into the playing XI.

Samson has struggled with the bat, registering three low scores in a row, leading to widespread demands for 15 year old Vaibhav to be given an opportunity. However, Karthik believes India's management should continue to back the experienced keeper, pointing to his match winning performances at the 2026 T20 World Cup, where he was named Player of the Tournament.

Speaking on Cricbuzz, Karthik said:

"Sanju Samson has, once again, had a bit of a failure. Now three innings on the bounce means the calls are coming nice and loud for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, but I would still say, Sanju Samson, player of the tournament in the World Cup, he is under pressure."

He added that while the excitement around Vaibhav is understandable, a place in the Indian XI must be earned.

"I know the whole cricketing world is going to be like, 'Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, when is he going to get in?' That is understandable, but I still hope they back someone like Sanju Samson, because, under pressure, in the World Cup, a few months ago, he got the job done, so we have to back him. Vaibhav needs to earn the right to play in this XI even though he is extremely talented, and I have no doubt he is going to do very well in international cricket."

Karthik's comments come at a time when pressure is mounting on Samson after a string of disappointing scores, while Vaibhav's remarkable rise has made him one of the most talked about young cricketers in the country. The teenager has already impressed in domestic cricket and the IPL, but Karthik believes patience is the right approach as India look to balance current form with proven experience.