Legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has thrown his weight behind Sanju Samson, insisting that the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter must feature in India’s playing XI for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 in the UAE, starting Tuesday, September 9. Since Gautam Gambhir was appointed head coach, Samson has been given a consistent run at the top of the order. The 29-year-old has responded impressively, scoring over 400 runs in 14 T20Is under Gambhir’s guidance.

However, his place is now under scrutiny with Shubman Gill returning as vice-captain. Gill’s IPL success as an opener makes him the frontrunner to reclaim his spot, leaving Samson’s role uncertain. Sunil Gavaskar, however, believes excluding Samson would be a blunder. Speaking to PTI, the batting legend emphasised Samson’s versatility:

“If you take somebody like Sanju Samson in the core team, then you can’t leave him out in the reserves. He’s someone who can bat at three, or drop down to six as a finisher if needed.”

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The former captain praised Jitesh Sharma for his exploits as a finisher in the IPL but labelled this a “good headache” for the selectors. Samson’s domestic and franchise record supports Gavaskar’s argument.

At No. 3, he has accumulated 4,136 runs in 134 innings at an average of 35 and a strike rate of 137, smashing 31 fifties and five hundreds. His power-hitting ability and adaptability make him an asset across positions. Sunil Gavaskar also tipped Samson to get the nod over Jitesh behind the stumps, at least for the first few games of the tournament.

“My feeling is that Samson might get the nod ahead of Jitesh for the first couple of matches, and then the team can reassess based on form.”

He even outlined a potential batting order, suggesting Samson could bat at No. 3, followed by Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, with Hardik Pandya providing firepower in the middle order. “They might be thinking of Samson at three and Tilak finishing at five or six, with Hardik also taking up a similar role.”

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With India’s packed calendar leading up to the 2026 T20 World Cup, the Asia Cup offers a vital opportunity to finalize batting combinations. For Samson, it is a golden chance to cement his spot in India’s best XI. If he delivers on this stage, he could finally silence the critics who have long questioned his consistency despite his undeniable talent.