Asia Cup 2025- India's Playing 11 announced; Sanju Samson decision made
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Sanju Samson receives huge backing from a former Rajasthan Royals player, as he hints at Samson's batting position in the Indian team for the Asia Cup 2025 and has urged Gautam Gambhir not to let Samson off the Playing XI despite Shubman Gill's return.
The Asia Cup 2025 action begins for India on the 10th of September, when they take on hosts UAE at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, which will be followed by the much-anticipated game against Pakistan on the 14th of September and the final group stage game on the 19th of September against Oman.
This is the first time India, the World T20 Champions and the no. 1 ranked T20I side, will enter a multi-team tournament under the leadership of skipper Suryakumar Yadav, while they will have Shubman Gill as his deputy.
Sanju Samson's new Batting position suggested by Gambhir's former Teammate
Ever since the comeback of Shubman Gill in the Indian team, there has been buzz over the playing role of players like Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma in the Indian playing XI for the Asia Cup 2025. Since Gill is most likely to open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma.
Former Indian cricketer and former teammate of Gautam Gambhir has vouched for Sanju Samson and even suggested a new batting role for the Royals skipper.
“Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill will open in the Asia Cup. For the No. 3 spot, I feel Tilak Varma is a youngster and can wait for his turn," suggests pour in from Mohammed Kaif.
"Sanju is an experienced batter, and he could be groomed by giving him consistent opportunities at No. 3. There is a World Cup after six months, and he deserves a chance," Kaif said in a video shared on his Instagram account.
Mohammed Kaif highlights Samson's South Africa hundreds, sidelining Tilak Varma's back-to-back hundreds at the same time
Mohammed Kaif has sidelined Tilak Varma's consecutive hundreds scored against South Africa on their soil and has rather highlighted the hundreds scored by Sanju Samson, which were two of the three hundreds he scored in 2024 in T20 international cricket for India.
“He is among the top 10 six-hitters in the IPL. That’s why I believe when Rashid Khan comes to bowl in the middle overs, there cannot be a better player against him than Sanju, as he can hit sixes down the ground."
“South Africa has one of the toughest conditions for batting, and he has hit two centuries as an opener there. He plays both pace and spin well, and in the IPL, he scores 400-500 runs every year," Kaif added.
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KCA form vouched as a criterion for Asia Cup 2025 selection
According to Kaif, the Asia Cup 2025 team selection should be made, citing Sanju's current form in the Kerala Cricket League, where he recently set the stage on fire with a stunning hundred.
“Do you know that Sanju Samson is the most senior member of this Asia Cup 2025 squad? He made his debut in 2015. He was then a part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2024 in Barbados."
"He didn’t get to play, but when he did get a chance, he scored runs for fun, 180 strike rate. He scored almost 450 runs. He has been scoring runs in the Kerala Cricket League and is in fine form," Kaif said.
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Tagged:
India National Cricket Team Asia Cup Sanju Samson Tilak Varma Shubman Gill Gautam Gambhir BCCI Mohammed Kaif
