Will Sanju Samson fit into India's playing XI in the Asia Cup?

Dubai: As India gear up to face UAE in their Asia Cup 2025 opener at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, one burning question remains: will Sanju Samson find a place in the playing XI? And if he does, where exactly will he bat?

Samson’s T20I career saw a revival after he was promoted to the opening slot following Rohit Sharma’s retirement. The Kerala batter has since smashed three centuries at the top, averaging 34.75 with a blistering strike rate of 182.89. Yet despite those numbers, Samson is expected to make way for Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma.

Gill’s appointment as India’s T20I vice-captain all but secures his spot. Add to that Gautam Gambhir’s preference for a left-right opening pair, and the Gill-Abhishek combination looks like the team’s first-choice option. Gill, fresh from a sensational Test series against England where he piled up 754 runs in five matches as captain, has also proven himself as a dependable T20 opener for Gujarat Titans.

Signs from India’s early practice sessions in Dubai further suggest Samson might miss out. Jitesh Sharma handled the bulk of the wicketkeeping duties at the ICC Academy, while Samson’s involvement was limited, often sitting out during batting drills.

Even so, Samson has strong backing from former cricketers. Ravi Shastri insists India must persist with him at the top: “Samson is at his most dangerous when he opens. If he fires, he wins you matches on his own,” the former coach argued.

Sunil Gavaskar, too, made a compelling case. His stance was straightforward: if Samson is in the 15-man squad, he should be in the XI. “You don’t take someone like Sanju Samson as a reserve,” Gavaskar told reporters. “He can bat at No 3, or even as a finisher if the team requires.”

While Jitesh Sharma has carved out a reputation as a lower-order hitter in the IPL, Gavaskar believes Samson deserves the nod at least for the tournament opener. He suggested Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya are better suited to middle-order roles, leaving No 3 as an ideal slot for Samson.

The batting combination also depends on India’s bowling balance. Gavaskar expects the team to stick with six options — three pacers, two spinners, and Hardik Pandya. He named Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel as his preferred spin pair, with Harshit Rana as a possible third seamer. “You don’t stretch your batting to No 8 in T20s. You need bowling variety. If one bowler has a bad day, another must step in,” he explained.