With Shubman Gill’s return to the T20I fold as vice-captain, it will be interesting to see whether Sanju Samson continues to open the batting with Abhishek Sharma or not in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.
If Gill does end up opening the innings, it is highly likely that the team management will look to play the wicketkeeper in the middle order. That’s where Jitesh Sharma might pip Samson for a place in the playing XI.
Jitesh has the best T20 numbers among all wicketkeepers for India when it comes to batting in the middle order. He also played a key role in RCB’s maiden IPL title win earlier this year.
While Samson has brilliant stats at the top of the order, they fall considerably when batting in the middle order.
Meanwhile, the legendary Sunil Gavaskar has addressed the conundrum, backing Sanju Samson to bat at No.3 for India in the continental showpiece.
"If you take somebody like Sanju Samson in the core team, then you can't leave him out in the reserves," Gavaskar told a select group of mediapersons during an interaction ahead of the tournament, starting September 9 in the UAE.
"Yes, I think it's a very good headache to have for any selection committee that you have two capable batters and somebody like Sanju Samson who can maybe even bat at three and if needed come down at six as a finisher."
"And Jitesh has also done well in the recently concluded IPL where he's played exceedingly well. So yes, I think it's a pleasant headache for the tour selection committee," he added.
The 76-year-old feels that Samson will at least get a couple of matches if not more. India will open against UAE on September 10.
"But my feeling is that maybe Samson will probably get the nod ahead of Jitesh for at least the first couple of games. And then depending on what his form is for the rest of the tournament. But this is what I think will happen," said the former Indian skipper under whom India won the inaugural Asia Cup ODI tournament in Sharjah in 1984.
Tilak Varma and skipper Suryakumar Yadav have usually batted at No. 3 and 4 in recent months, so how can Samson be accommodated at the top?
"But that is why I think maybe they might even be thinking in terms of having him (Samson) at number three and having Tilak as a finisher at five or six. Because Hardik (Pandya) is in your team as well. So, Hardik will probably be batting at five or six again."
Gavaskar further opined that it could be one among Rinku Singh or Shivam Dube, who might have to warm the bench.
"And with Axar Patel also likely to play in this side as a left-hander and somebody who can bowl good four overs, it looks like somebody like Rinku and Shivam might have to wait a bit before they get an opportunity."
Gavaskar advocated for Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav’s inclusion as the two spinners while he believes that a third specialist pacer in Harshit Rana will find his place in the squad.
"My feeling is that they might not extend the batting to No. 8 and look for the bowlers, maybe Kuldeep at 8 and then 9, 10, 11, your 3 fast bowlers."
"So it actually makes it 4 fast bowlers when you include Hardik Pandya and two spinners as six bowlers in your team, which is always very good to have because sometimes if one bowler is having a bad day, you want somebody else who can come in and bowl for him."
According to Gavaskar, pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah will have no workload related issues since it will be only four overs of bowling per match.
"In this Asia Cup, it is just a question of bowling four overs and that too it is not four overs at a stretch...So I don't think there will be any problem for him to play this tournament."
"I mean there will be no workload problem for him because he has to bowl only four overs and there can be no problem."
(With PTI Inputs)
