CHENNAI: Sanju Samson will not forget the morning of June 29, 2024. After being on the bench throughout the tournament, the keeper-batter was told that he will play the T20 World Cup final against South Africa at Kensington Oval only for the decision to be reversed minutes before toss. Rohit Sharma, the then captain, took him aside and had a 10-minute chat to explain why India were going in with the same team. Despite the regret of not being able to play, Samson took it in his stride as a team player. He has had to wait for his time for years, and knew it will eventually come.
In the next 24 hours, India went onto win the World Cup that day, Rohit and Virat Kohli retired and a few days later Samson was in Zimbabwe keeping wickets for India in T20Is. Shubman Gill opened the batting and Samson was batting in the middle-order. At least that was the case until the second T20I in Sri Lanka a month after. Then, he was given a chance to bat in the top three. He went on to score back-to-back ducks.
However, when he was asked to open with Abhishek Sharma against Bangladesh, it seemed like Samson was beginning a new chapter, one where he was going to get a longer rope than he has in the last decade. In the 12 matches India have played since, Samson opened the batting, smashed 417 runs at 37.9 average and 183.7 strike rate, including three centuries (two of which came in South Africa).
While there were some low scores in the T20Is against England at home, it seemed like Samson's career was finally on track, especially in the lead up to the T20 World Cup next year. With Abhishek, he formed an explosive duo at the top, one that set up the dynamic batting line-up for India in the format. His partner Abhishek is the only Indian to score more runs at a faster strike rate than Samson since the T20 World Cup last year.
It was all going well, until now. With the selectors bringing back Gill into the team, and that too as the vice-captain, Samson is once again at the crossroads. The selectors and the BCCI are looking to groom Gill as the all-format captain. The Punjab batter has also upskilled himself as was visible during the Indian Premier League. Adding the fact that he established himself as Test captain with a stellar series as a batter in England, Gill coming back was perhaps on the horizon.
Given the fact that he is expected to open with Abhishek, Samson's place in the playing XI becomes a question. If he bats in the top four, it means India will have Gill, Suryakumar Yadav and Samson in the mix which is not how this team management operates. Head coach Gautam Gambhir's preference for left-right combination is well-established and it is likely to continue in the upcoming Asia Cup as well. That they have picked Jitesh Sharma, who now specialises as a finisher-keeper, only adds to the quandary.
What does it mean for Samson? Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar feels he might come down as a finisher or so can Tilak. "Somebody like a Sanju who can maybe even bat at three and if needed, come down at six as a finisher. Jitesh has also done well in the recently concluded IPL. My feeling is that maybe Samson will probably get the nod ahead of Jitesh for at least the first couple of games. And then depending on what his form is for the rest of the tournament. But this is what I think will happen. If you take somebody like a Samson in the fifteen, then you can't leave him out in the reserve," Gavaskar explained in an interaction facilitated by Sony Sports Network.
If that happens, it would mean that either Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube will have to wait for their turn in the playing XI. "That is why I think maybe they might even be thinking in terms of having him at No 3 and having Tilak as a finisher at No 5/6. This is what I think is likely to happen because Hardik is in your team as well. If they decide to go in with an extra bowler, then you are looking at having somebody like an Axar Patel also at No 7. It looks like somebody like Rinku and Shivam Dube might have to wait a bit before they get an opportunity," said Gavaskar.
The picture will be clear in the days leading up to India's first match against United Arab Emirates on September 10. As things stand, even if Samson starts, it seems like he will live and die based on his performance on the day rather than getting a specified role with a longer rope.
Sony Sports Network is the official broadcaster of the Asia Cup 2025. Live coverage of the Asia Cup 2025 will commence on September 9 at 7 PM onwards on Sony Sports Ten 1 and Sony Sports Ten 5.
