Sanju Samson Asia Cup 2025 Selection Doubts Grow
Sanju Samson Asia Cup 2025: When Monday night fell at the ICC Cricket Academy Arena in Dubai, everyone was focused on Sanju Samson. The wicketkeeper-batter was in fantastic form with three centuries in his last 10 innings but now appeared to be out in the cold, as India prepared for the Asia Cup opener against the UAE hosts. Head coach Gautam Gambhir, who had previously been one of the biggest supporters of Sanju’s credentials, engaged in a three minute fiery conversation with the player – but the Kerala star did not bat in the nets.
There was some additional doubt about Sanju’s position in India’s setup after the meeting, with indications that Jitesh Sharma could be the preferred wicketkeeper-batter.
Gambhir’s Important Conversation
Samson arrived at the grounds earliest, where he did some work on catching the ball with wicketkeeping coach T Dilip. He showed agility, not least when he was praised for making a diving catch. Soon thereafter, Gambhir came up to him. According to PTI, their conversation was about batting rather than wicketkeeping, which was interesting given that Sanju was more of a listener than a contributor.
The salient sign came at batting practice – as Jitesh Sharma, Shivam Dube, Tilak Verma and Hardik Pandya took turns to bat, Sanju only looked on.
Even the prominent names on the Indian team—Shubman Gill, captain Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma—had a few chances, but Samson was still plentifully hoping.
ALONE, NEAR THE NETS
Samson put his batting gear on eventually left the nets, sitting silently behind a palm tree near the dressing room until he subsequently vacated to the ice box of coolers… He was acting out his annoyance and uncertainty. Eventually, once the nets had emptied he got a few deliveries from a net bowler, at which point he let a half tracker go. That moment perfectly illustrated his difficult evening.
Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma looked more confident and relaxed. His presence in the first bit of the batting order suggests that the management will prefer him to play in the first match.
Sanju Samson and Shubman Gill for the opening slot
The wider question is team balance. Shubman Gill’s return on the T20I side after a year and as vice-captain makes it harder to go with Samson in the playing XI. Gill’s return bolsters India’s top order, which puts Samson in a position of fighting for smaller opportunities in the middle.
It is noteworthy that Rinku Singh was also not included in the main batting routine, only put on his gear later for throwdowns from a member of the support staff, additional evidence of his status as being lower down the chain.
The Asia Cup selection conundrum
The depth of the Indian squad has lent itself to how best to utilize things for management. Samson’s form suggests he deserves a chance, however with Gill, Suryakumar, Abhishek, and Hardik all taking up established slots, competition for batting slots is fierce. The emergence of Jitesh Sharma as a dependable wicketkeeper-batter complicates matters.
There is a lot of speculation at the moment with fans and sport analysts watching this closely under the sports news headlines today looking to see if Gambhir takes the radical decision to leave Samson out of the playing XI.
Sanju Samson’s situation on the eve of the Asia Cup opener underlines the competitive nature of India’s T20I hierarchy once again. Gill’s return, with Jitesh Sharma looking to build on some momentum, could mean the end of his reliability.
With just days to go before tournament’s first match against the UAE, Gambhir’s decision may define how India’s batting will operate in the Asia Cup. For Samson, this could again be a lesson in persistence in his inconsistent global career.
