Sanju Samson’s KCL fireworks boost India’s Asia Cup build-up

Dubai: Sanju Samson has timed his surge in form to perfection. With the Asia Cup in the UAE just around the corner, the Indian opener has lit up the Kerala Cricket League (KCL) with back-to-back power-packed knocks that underline his readiness for international duty.

Playing for Kochi Blue Tigers, Samson followed up his whirlwind century over the weekend with another blistering 89 off just 46 balls against Thrissur Titans in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday. His innings, studded with nine sixes and four fours at a strike rate nearing 200, formed the bedrock of his team’s 188/7. Though Thrissur’s Ajinas K stole some of the spotlight with a five-wicket haul, Samson’s dominant batting once again set the narrative.

Just two days earlier, Samson had turned a modest start to the tournament on its head with a spectacular 121 from 51 deliveries against Aries Kollam Sailors. Chasing 237, Samson’s pyrotechnics — 14 fours and seven sixes — helped Kochi overtake a daunting total built on Vishnu Vinod’s 94 and Sachin Baby’s 91. Now, across three matches in the KCL, Samson has piled up 223 runs at an astonishing strike rate of 187, including one century and one half-century.

The runs could not have come at a better time. India begin their Asia Cup campaign against hosts UAE on September 9 in Dubai, before the marquee clash with Pakistan on September 14. They round off their Group A fixtures against Oman on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.

Samson’s ability to set the tone at the top will be closely watched, especially after his transformation as an opener over the past year. Since moving up the order, he has added consistency to his natural flair, including a maiden T20I century against South Africa last December. In 2024, he finished as India’s highest run-getter in the format with 436 runs in 12 innings at a strike rate of 180.

However, competition for places in the Asia Cup XI remains fierce. Vice-captain Shubman Gill returns after a prolific Test series in England, while Jitesh Sharma, fresh from a breakout IPL season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, offers an additional wicketkeeping option. The team management will need to weigh Samson’s explosive form against the balance they seek in conditions expected to test both batters and bowlers.

The Asia Cup format will see the top two teams from each group progress to the Super 4 stage, played between September 20—26. If India top their group, all their matches will be in Dubai. A second-place finish would mean one game in Abu Dhabi and two in Dubai. The final is set for September 28 at Dubai International Stadium.

For now, though, Samson’s KCL run spree has ensured that his name remains firmly in the spotlight. Whether he forces his way into India’s starting XI or not, his form has already given the selectors and management a happy headache ahead of another continental campaign.