India's Senior-Most Star In Asia Cup Stands At Risk Of Being Ignored, Gautam Gambhir Told To Drop World No. 2
Shubman Gill's entry into the Asia Cup squad has meant that the top order will be tinkered with
Shubman Gill's entry into the Asia Cup squad has meant that the top order will be tinkered with. Abhishek Sharma, the world No. 1 T20I batter, is a sure-shot pick as opener. With Shubman Gill being the vice-captain, he is also certain to get a place at the top. Sanju Samson put up quite a few performances as a T20I opener in the last year, with Gill being busy playing ODIs and Tests. With Gill's entry, Samson is most likely to be pushed out of the XI or pushed down the order.
Now, former India star Mohammad Kaif has suggested an interesting plan to India coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Suryakumar Yadav. He has told the team management to play Samson at No. 3 in place of Mumbai Indians player Tilak Varma, who is currently world No. 2 in the ICC rankings.
“Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill will open in the Asia Cup. For the No. 3 spot, I feel Tilak Varma is a youngster and can wait for his turn. Sanju is an experienced batter, and he could be groomed by giving him consistent opportunities at No. 3. There is a World Cup in six months, and he deserves a chance," Kaif said on Instagram.
“He is among the top 10 six-hitters in the IPL. That's why I believe when Rashid Khan comes to bowl in the middle overs, there cannot be a better player against him than Sanju, as he can hit sixes down the ground. South Africa has one of the toughest conditions for batting, and he has hit two centuries as an opener there. He plays both pace and spin well, and in the IPL, he scores 400-500 runs every year.
“Do you know that Sanju Samson is the most senior member of this Asia Cup squad? He made his debut in 2015. He was then a part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2024 in Barbados. He didn't get to play, but when he did get a chance, he scored runs for fun, with a 180 strike rate. He scored almost 450 runs. He has been scoring runs in the Kerala Cricket League and is in fine form."
With wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma coming into the squad, Sanju Samson's position behind the stumps is also uncertain. Former India star Aakash Chopra felt that Samson's effectiveness declines as he moves lower down the order.
“Sanju Samson is the first contender because he played the last series. He has struck three centuries in the last 12 matches. He is also part of the team at the moment," Chopra said.
"So, of course, he will be the first guy to talk about. If we look at his numbers at positions one to three in all T20s, he has scored more than 6,000 runs at a strike rate of 140 and an average of 33, which are really good numbers. So Sanju Samson is a real contender if you want a keeper in the top three.
"But when I look at his numbers from four to seven, he has played 98 matches with an average of 20 and a strike rate of 126. Neither the strike rate nor the average looks very good there. You would keep Sanju as a frontrunner at the top, but suddenly, when you change his batting position, he goes down in the list."
India Cricket Team
Sanju Samson