Sanju Samson finds himself in a tough spot ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, with mounting pressure on his place in India’s playing XI as the team experiments to find its perfect combination. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter was among the first to arrive at the ICC Cricket Academy Arena for an intense evening training session, beginning his solo keeping drills under fielding coach T Dilip while his teammates warmed up.
According to a PTI report, Samson’s focus stood out as he pulled off a stunning full-stretch diving catch, drawing praise from the support staff. Soon after, head coach Gautam Gambhir walked over and engaged Samson in a serious three-minute chat, likely discussing his batting approach rather than his wicketkeeping work.
Meanwhile, Jitesh Sharma’s confident demeanour spoke volumes. The RCB wicketkeeper-batter, seen as Samson’s direct competitor, was relaxed and spent significant time in the nets alongside Shivam Dube, Tilak Varma, and Hardik Pandya. Interestingly, while the quartet rotated freely between batting drills, Samson quietly retreated to a spot behind a palm tree near the clubhouse, waiting for his turn.
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Vice-captain Shubman Gill, skipper Suryakumar Yadav, and Abhishek Sharma followed with multiple batting sessions, but Samson was still not called up. When he finally padded up and returned, he realized there was no slot for him. He sat casually on an ice box, watching others bat, bowl, and train, before finally stepping in for a brief stint, where he missed his very first delivery—a half-tracker from a net bowler.
VIDEO | Asia Cup 2025: At the practice session at ICC Cricket Academy in Dubai, Team India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir was seen engrossed in a discussion with wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson.
Sanju Samson went through extensive keeping drills under the close supervision of… pic.twitter.com/5NHfrmc1U0
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 8, 2025
VIDEO | Indian cricket team’s vice-captain Shubman Gill looked calm and composed while going through regular warm-up drills during training at ICC’s Academy in Dubai. He then joined Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and skipper Suryakumar Yadav in the nets.#AsiaCup2025 #ShubmanGill… pic.twitter.com/59LwbCrzLt
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 8, 2025
Rinku Singh’s position looked even bleaker. The hard-hitting left-hander did not initially pad up, only taking throwdowns later from a non-specialist staff member, further signalling his current standing in the pecking order.
Gambhir’s approach is straightforward: every minute of a training session mirrors a match strategy. The heavy focus on Jitesh Sharma’s finishing role and Shivam Dube’s all-around abilities highlights Gambhir’s intention to deepen India’s batting lineup. Sunil Gavaskar’s suggestion of slotting Tilak Varma at No. 6 seems unlikely, given the current strategy.
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In contrast to the Dhoni and Dravid eras, where net sessions often masked final decisions, Gambhir’s clarity stands out. His emphasis on form, intent, and versatility is shaping a team built around all-round strength rather than individual flair—making Samson’s battle for a place in the XI tougher than ever.
