Sanju Samson has commenced training for Asia Cup 2025 as reports suggest that he is all set to be a part of the Indian squad. The keeper-batter had a one-of-a-kind year in the last 12 months, seeing the highest of highs and lowest of lows. While he was India’s designated opener in the team’s last T20I series against England in January, there are high chances that he might not make it to the playing XI in the 8-nation tournament despite a part of the squad.
Won’t open if Gill is in playing XI
Reports have suggested that Shubman Gill will return to T20Is after over a year and is also set to be named vice-captain. This means it all but certain that he will be a part of all the matches in Asia Cup 2025. The last T20 tournament that he was a part of was IPL 2025 where he essayed the role of an opener for Gujarat Titans. For the record, Gill has played solely as an opener in 21 T20Is that he has played so far.
With Abhishek Sharma all but confirmed to be one opener, it is almost certain that Gill will be his partner. Thus, the batter’s return to the playing XI means Samson would lose his opening position to Gill.
Now, in majority of T20Is that he has been a part of, Samson has played as an opener. In 14 T20Is that he has played at the top of the order, he has amassed 512 runs at a strike rate of 182. 20 and averages 39.38. Samson even scripted history by becoming the only Indian cricketer to have scored three hundreds in a calendar year – all of them coming while he played as a opener. Thus, putting Sanju in any other position would hardly make any sense for India, apart from the fact that there will be no space.
Number 3 option best for Samson
While Samson has batted at number 3 in only 3 T20Is, he has a vast experience of batting in that position in the shortest format of the game. The Kerala keeper-batter has plaed 133 out of 291 innings while batting at no.3 in T20s and has amassed 4136 runs. His average while batting at that position 35.65, much better than his career average of 29.68. Samson has scored three hundreds and 31 fifties at that position.
Considering Gill and Abhishek open for India at Asia Cup 2025, number 3 could be the perfect spot for Samson. Besides, there is no other spot where he could fit in. At number 4 will be captain Suryakumar Yadav followed by Tilak Varma or Shreas Iyer at 5 and Hardik Pandya at 6. Hence, Samson’s best spot is ideally number 3, if he were not to open the innings.
Samson trains with Kerala police
Meanwhile, Samson has already commenced his preparations for Asia Cup. On Tuesda, the keeper-batter shared an Instagram story of his training session with the Kerala Police at Chandrashekaran Nair Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram.
The selectors are expected to announce the squad for Asia Cup by August 19 or 20 once they get the reports of the fitness assessments of players from the BCCI medical team at the Centre of Excellence (CoE).
