Published: Sep 05, 2025, 06:48 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 05, 2025, 06:48 PM (IST)
Sanju Samson’s place in India’s playing XI is under doubt ahead of the Asia Cup 2025. While he was the first-choice opener alongside Abhishek Sharma in the T20I format.
The inclusion of Shubman Gill, who is in excellent form and has been appointed vice-captain, has raised questions over Samson’s role. With Gill likely to take the opening slot, Samson could either be pushed down the batting order or even left out of the team altogether.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan feels that wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson might miss out on a place in India’s playing XI. In the ongoing Kerala Cricket League, Samson has not only opened but also batted down the order for his team, Kochi Blue Tigers. Pathan suggested that a similar role could be possible for Samson in Team India, where he might be tried in the middle order instead of as an opener.
”Sanju might not get a place in the playing XI; it will be hard. But, I saw some of the clips where Samson is trying to play down the order. If he can play down the order, then why not? Play Samson as well in the No. 5 position. If that happens, then Jitesh Sharma won’t be there,” Pathan said in an interaction organized by Sony Sports Network.
“It’s a tough one, isn’t it? If you look at it, Sanju has done really well. Obviously, there is one question mark in terms of his consistency; for example, sometimes he is scoring hundreds, other times he is getting out cheaply, and there is a pattern as well, but he has done well. Abhishek Sharma, because he can bowl as well and he has got an outstanding strike rate, he will be there for sure, that is No. 1,” he added.
India’s squad for Asia Cup: Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Shubman Gill (vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (wicketkeeper), Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh. Standby players: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Prasidh Krishna, Washington Sundar, Riyan Parag, and Dhruv Jurel.
