India's recent batting order experiment in the Asia Cup 2025 Super Four clash against Bangladesh has triggered widespread criticism, particularly concerning the treatment of Sanju Samson. Despite Samson's impressive recent form, including three centuries in a short span, he was demoted in the batting order, leading to outrage among fans and former cricketers.
In the match against Bangladesh, India reshuffled its batting lineup, promoting Shivam Dube to number three, followed by Suryakumar Yadav at four, Tilak Varma at six, and Axar Patel at seven. This move backfired as all four struggled to build momentum. Hardik Pandya, batting in his usual spot at number six, was the lone bright spot, scoring a steady 38 off 29 deliveries. The rest of the middle order failed to find any rhythm, with each of them batting at a strike rate below 100. Despite India's middle-order struggles against Bangladesh, Sanju Samson didn't get to bat.
India coach Ryan ten Doeschate had backed Samson as the ideal No. 5, stating that the team management was backing Samson at number five and noted that he was the best man for the job. “Samson has had two decent chances and he's still figuring out how to play that role (at No. 5). We're really looking for a No. 5. We believe Samson 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,” ten Doeschate told reporters.
However, even in that case, Samson featuring at number eight makes little sense. In the England series and IPL, he opened the batting for India and Rajasthan Royals, respectively. However, things changed drastically when Shubman Gill returned to the team and that made life a bit tough for Samson.
Former player Sanjay Manjrekar slammed the Team India management for changing the batting order in the crucial Asia Cup 2025 match against Bangladesh. Manjrekar found 'no sense' in promoting Shivam Dube at No. 3. “Messing around with the batting order. I don't know why Dube was promoted. He doesn't have a better strike rate than the other batters. Suryakumar Yadav's strike rate is 140. India would have done well had they stuck with the normal batting order,” Sanjay Manjrekar said.
Sanju Samson has been excellent at the top order, scoring three tons within a space of five innings during the series of Bangladesh, South Africa. Samson has likened himself to the superstar of Malayalam cinema Mohanlal Viswanathan for accepting a change in the batting slot in the Indian men's T20I team. Ahead of the India vs Bangladesh Super four encounter, Samson stated that he needs to be like the Malayalam maestro and should accept every role that comes his way for the country. Interestingly, he stated that he can't be a hero for every film. He should be willing to play the 'villain' or a 'joker' as well.
In October 2019, during the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Kerala and Goa, Sanju doubled his maiden List-A century. It was the second-fastest double hundred and the fastest by an Indian in the format. It was also the highest total made by a wicket-keeper in a List-A match with an unbeaten 212 runs from 129 balls. His partnership of 338 runs with Kerala skipper Sachin Baby in the match is the highest in List-A cricket for Indian cricket and the third highest in the format.
In the third match of the series against South Africa in November 2024, he scored his maiden T20I century, registering 111 runs off 47 balls and contributing to India's victory. During the innings, he set multiple records, including the second-fastest century by an Indian batter in T20Is, the fastest fifty by an Indian wicketkeeper-batter against Bangladesh, and the highest individual score by an Indian batter against Bangladesh in T20Is. He also scored another century in the 4th T20I, scoring unbeaten 109 of 56 balls with 6 fours and 9 sixes to his name making his century tally to 3 in T20 internationals.
