The Indian cricket team is gearing up for the Asia Cup 2025, and there's considerable buzz around the possible changes in the batting order, especially concerning Sanju Samson and Tilak Varma. Recent reports suggest that Sanju Samson might be assigned a new batting position in India's Asia Cup XI, while there are speculations about Tilak Varma's place in the team, with Gautam Gambhir, the head coach, reportedly considering giving Samson a consistent run at No. 3.
Sanju Samson's form has been a major talking point. He has been in excellent form in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL), scoring 368 runs in six matches with a staggering strike rate of 183.80 and an average of 73.60. This includes three fifties and a century, showcasing his consistency and power-hitting abilities. In one of the matches, playing for Kochi Blue Tigers, Samson smashed a quick-fire 121 off just 51 balls. These performances have made it difficult for the team management to ignore him.
However, the inclusion of Shubman Gill as the vice-captain has complicated the team's choices. Gill's position in the team is almost guaranteed, and if he doesn't open, he is likely to slot in at No. 3, potentially at the expense of Tilak Varma. This creates a dilemma for the team management, as Varma is also a highly rated player.
According to Aakash Chopra, Samson is a strong contender for the top-three slot. Chopra noted that in T20s, Samson has scored over 6,000 runs at a strike rate of 140 and an average of 33 when batting in the top three. However, his numbers in the middle order (positions four to seven) are not as impressive, with an average of 20 and a strike rate of 126 in 98 matches. This suggests that Samson is best suited to bat at the top of the order.
Irfan Pathan believes that Samson might find it hard to feature in the playing XI, considering the competition for the opening slots. With Abhishek Sharma also in contention for an opening slot and Shubman Gill likely to play, Samson's place in the team is uncertain. Pathan also mentioned that Samson has been trying to play down the order, but his inconsistency might push him out of the opening slots.
Gautam Gambhir's strategy and team selection will be crucial in determining the final XI. He has been known to provide valuable advice and guidance to young players like Tilak Varma.
The Asia Cup squad includes Suryakumar Yadav (Captain), Shubman Gill (Vice-captain), Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Rinku Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, and Varun Chakravarthy.
The Indian team is scheduled to depart for the UAE on September 4 from Mumbai, with players assembling in Mumbai on September 3. India will play their first match against the hosts, UAE, on September 10, followed by a highly anticipated match against Pakistan on September 14. Their final group stage match is against Oman on September 19.
