Sanju Samson Opens Up on Role Shift in Asia Cup 2025
Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, who consistently opened in all 17 T20Is since India’s 2024 World Cup triumph and struck three centuries, is now facing an unpredictable batting order in the Asia Cup 2025. Despite featuring in every match so far, he has not been trusted with the opening slot — a position where he has produced his best performances.
Before India’s second Super Four clash, Sanjay Manjrekar questioned Samson about the team’s decision to alter his batting role. Highlighting that all three of his T20I tons came as an opener, Manjrekar pressed him on the position he feels most comfortable batting at.
Manjrekar asked:
“Enough of the easy questions. One final question. You have got three T20I hundreds, all three of them coming in the opening spot. That’s it. Which is the position you’re most comfortable at?”
Samson: “I Need to Be a Joker, a Villain”
Samson answered by drawing an analogy with veteran Malayalam actor Mohanlal, pointing out that adapting to various roles is part of his responsibility as a professional cricketer.
He said:
“Recently, our Lalettan – Mohanlal, the cinema actor from Kerala, he got a very big award from the country. He has been acting over the last 30-40 years. I have also been playing for my country for the last 10 years. So, I can’t say I can only do a hero role. I need to a villain, I need to be a joker. I need to play around. I can’t say that I have scored runs as an opener and I am really good at top 3. let me try this also. Why can’t I be a good villain?”
Since July 2024, Samson has scored 487 runs at a strike rate of 171.47 across 17 T20Is, with three centuries — two in back-to-back matches. Yet, with Shubman Gill returning as vice-captain, Samson was no longer considered for the opening role. In the Asia Cup, he has batted only twice — once at No. 3 against Oman where he made a composed 56, and again at No. 5 against Pakistan.
Debate Over India’s Batting Strategy
A surprising move saw Samson walk out to bat at No. 8 in the Super Four game against Bangladesh, a decision that drew criticism from former players and analysts. This shift came even after India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had publicly backed Samson to settle into the No. 5 position.
“Sanju has had two decent chances and he’s still figuring out how to play that role (at No. 5). The surface got a little bit tired in the Pakistan game. We’re really looking for a No. 5. We believe Sanju is the best man for that job, and we’ve got no doubt he’ll figure out how to play that role in the future,” Doeschate said.
With the Asia Cup 2025 entering its decisive phase, attention will now be on whether Samson can adapt to a new role and prove his versatility lower down the order.
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