Regardless of the batting position that Sanju Samson is assigned, veteran cricketer Sunil Gavaskar thinks the Indian team would do everything in their power to offer him an opportunity in the Playing XI in the Asia Cup 2025. Since the recently appointed vice-captain Shubman Gill has most likely seized Sanju’s starting position, there has been a great deal of uncertainty on whether he will find a place in the playing XI.
According to the Mumbai native, the management would struggle to choose the playing XI, particularly the batting lineup and the order in which they take their guards. Even though Samson has performed admirably, Gavaskar recalls how crucial Jitesh Sharma was to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s successful Indian Premier League 2025 season.
“Having two good batters and someone like Sanju Samson who can perhaps bat at three and, if necessary, come down at six as a finisher is, in my opinion, a great headache for any selection committee. Additionally, Jitesh performed admirably in the just finished Indian Premier League. India Today cited the renowned cricketer as stating, “So yes, I think it’s a pleasant headache for the tour selection committee.”
“You can’t leave someone like Sanju Samson in the reserves if you include him in the key squad.
However, I have a hunch that Samson will likely be selected for at least the first few games rather than Jitesh. The remainder of the competition will therefore depend on his performance. However, this is what I believe will occur,” the 75-year-old continued.
The Asia Cup will start on September 9.
Notably, Jitesh Sharma was named the first-choice wicketkeeper when the squad for the eight-team tournament was revealed. However, since he also contributes leadership, an experienced somebody like Samson cannot be excluded. When the main event starts, it will be intriguing to see who is given the all-clear to take the field.
The following players will represent India in the 2025 Asia Cup:
Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Harshit Rana, Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav, and captain Suryakumar Yadav.
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