A debate has emerged in Indian cricket over Sanju Samson’s batting position as India prepares for the Asia Cup 2025 clash against Pakistan. Indian batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has addressed the speculation, stating that Samson is a versatile player capable of batting anywhere in the order.
Samson has impressed with his recent form, scoring three centuries as an opener in the last year and establishing himself as a worthy replacement for Rohit Sharma. However, with the return of vice-captain Shubman Gill to the T20I squad, Samson lost his opening spot but remains a key player in the playing eleven. Kotak indicated that Samson is likely being prepared for the important number three position in the batting line-up.
“Sanju Samson hasn’t batted a lot at No. 5 or 6 but that doesn’t mean he can’t bat at that position. Everyone knows their roles. Last match he didn’t bat at No. 3 but that doesn’t mean the same thing will happen in the next game,” Kotak said, quoted by PTI.
India will face Pakistan on September 14 in a high-profile fixture amid geopolitical tensions. The Indian team has clarified that they are following government directives and focusing solely on cricket, striving to keep political issues separate from the sport.
Flexibility
Kotak emphasized the flexibility of the batting order, explaining that the team management and captain decide based on match situations. Samson himself is comfortable batting anywhere the team requires. Despite Samson’s stellar performances as an opener, his impact in the middle order has been limited according to statistics. Still, the team management values his adaptability and believes he can play crucial finishing roles if needed. The role of each player will be dynamic throughout the tournament according to Kotak.
This stance aims to end the speculation about Samson’s batting spot while underlining the strategic balance India seeks to maintain for optimum team performance during the Asia Cup 2025 clash against their arch-rivals.
India: Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Jitesh Sharma, Axar Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abrar Ahmed, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Hasan Ali, Hasan Nawaz, Hussain Talat, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Haris, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Waseem Jnr, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Salman Mirza, Shaheen Afridi, Sufyan Moqim
