Asia Cup 2025: The Sanju Samson debate

India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson (AP Photo)

Sanju Samson has been a polarising influence in Indian cricket. While he has a particularly large fan base, he also has his section of detractors. For a section Samson has been a victim. They argue that Samson has never been given a fair run and has often been unfairly targeted. His detractors on the other hand say that he hasn’t really done justice to his talent and the opportunities that he has been presented with.

The truth is neither side is wrong. All the news coming out of Dubai says Samson is most likely to sit out with Shubman Gill batting at the top of the order and Jitesh Sharma taking the keeper’s gloves. If that’s the case Samson has every reason to feel hard done.

First, he has done well as keeper-batter in the T20 format in the last 12 months. Except the England series in February where he had an issue against the short ball, Samson has been consistent and has also scored three hundreds in ten games. To have to concede his position to someone and then having to sit out is tough. But the truth also is India’s white ball riches are such that these kind of calls will have to be taken. Whether anyone likes it or not, the management’s call is final and Samson will have to live with it.

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The Samson vs Jitesh debate is interesting. Jitesh, to his credit, has always batted in the middle order and had a very decent IPL with the bat. He can hit the big shots and can easily clear the boundary and add momentum towards the end of the innings. As keeper too he isn’t any less to Samson.

In sum, if Samson had to play his best place is at the top of the order. But with Shubman Gill now back, the openers are decided. It will be Gill and Abhishek Sharma who will open for India and I think it is a very fair call. There will be days when the all or nothing approach will not work and you will have to chase a 170 total down on a tricky pitch. That’s where the class of Shubman Gill will come into play.

Gill, may I say, is India’s plan B. On days when Abhishek or the others work, he will not be needed to hold fort. In fact, on occasions he might even look a bit sedate. But on days when there is a collapse, Gill will be the go to man. And that’s where Samson misses out.

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Does it mean it is over for Samson? The answer is certainly not. India will play 15 T20Is ahead of the World Cup and Samson will surely get opportunities. He will have to keep performing and remind the management that he is always a viable option to go to and is ready to take on the keeping gloves.

Had it been any other team someone as talented as Samson would have walked in. But with India, the riches mean he will have to fight this out and push his way through. Every opportunity will have to be used and that’s the truth. To play the victim card isn’t the solution and the less these fans do it the better.