2025 Asia Cup: Samson ahead of Gill for opener's slot for Ravi Shastri, says 'let Shubman...'
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "2025 Asia Cup: Samson ahead of Gill for opener's slot for Ravi Shastri, says 'let Shubman...'")
Asia Cup 2025 Samson ahead of Gill for opener's slot for Ravi Shastri Photograph: (AFP)
Though Samson held that opener’s slot in the past three series (against Bangladesh, South Africa and England), smashing three top-notch hundreds, Gill’s return to the T20I setup makes him an automatic selection.
With the 2025 Asia Cup just on the brink of getting underway in the UAE, one question that keeps everyone thinking is who opens with Abhishek Sharma, the newly-appointed T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill or keeper-batter or regular opener Sanju Samson? Though Samson held that opener’s slot in the past three series (against Bangladesh, South Africa and England), smashing three top-notch hundreds, Gill’s return to the T20I setup makes him an automatic selection, putting the selectors and the leadership under pressure on whom to choose. Meanwhile, former India head coach Ravi Shastri expressed his preference for who should open the batting between Gill and Samson.
While both Samson and Gill are likely to be part of the playing XI at some point in this tournament, their selection conundrum has kept everyone on their toes. Even though Samson made that top spot about his own with star-studded performances, chief selector Ajit Agarkar's recent remarks on his position have put his place in the side in jeopardy. He said that Samson was only the makeshift opener during India’s recent T20I series, as the first-choice batters Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal were occupied with Test commitments.
Shastri, on the other hand, thinks otherwise, saying Samson should retain his place (at the top), as Gill can always walk into the playing XI in place of someone else.
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“He [Samson] is most dangerous in the top three. That’s where he wins you matches. He should be left there. It [replacing Samson for Gill] won’t be that easy. Samson has a strong record for India at the top in T20s. Even Gill will find it tough to displace him. Gill may come in for someone else, but Samson should be left alone as opener,” Shastri said in an interaction with the media on Sunday, as quoted by The Indian Express.
Even numbers back Samson’s stance at the top in the T20I team, with his strike rate reading close to 180 (178.76), including three hundreds and a fifty (in 17 outings). Gill, on the other hand, has racked up 578 runs (in 21 innings) for India in the shortest format, striking at under 140.
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“Samson should continue playing the way he has for India in T20s. He has been consistent at the top with big runs and hundreds,” Shastri added.
Meanwhile, Team India begins their 2025 Asia Cup campaign against the UAE on Wednesday (Sep 10) in Dubai, with their marquee clash against arch-rivals Pakistan scheduled four days later on Sunday (Sep 14) at the same venue. The Men in Blue next face Oman in their final group game on September 19 in Abu Dhabi.
