Former India opener turned commentator Aakash Chopra believes that it’s almost impossible for Sanju Samson to return to the top order with Shubman Gill’s return as India’s vice-captain in the team as well. He also said Samson
batted and scored a fifty while batting at No. 3 against Oman, but the original spot belongs to captain Suryakumar Yadav as well.

Aakash Chopra told ESPNcricinfo in the post-match show: “No, he can’t be batting at three. Three is Suryakumar Yadav’s position. I think it was the day India announced the team with Shubman Gill as the vice-captain of the side… With Shubman Gill’s bat and the position and the designation, you’ve written Sanju Samson’s destiny that he’s no longer your 1,2,3 batter where he’s likely to score most of the runs.”

“He got to bat only because, let me just also say this, if he hadn’t scored the runs in the previous game, he wouldn’t have even batted at the number he batted today. Hardik Pandya would’ve come in place of him, and then Shivam Dube, and then Sanju Samson. That position is natural to him, and you’re playing against Pakistan. Of course, this time you were chasing run-a-ball, it was slightly higher,” he again shared.

“I mean, say, 20 balls 35 runs, or 31 runs, then you would have sent, and then he would have sent Shivam Dube because those are the two guys who are likely to hit sixes against whoever Pakistan is going to throw at them. So, Sanju is not going to bat three. I mean, it may have happened against Oman, but that is the only time he was supposed to bat there,” Chopra further added.

However, Aakash Chopra also urged the Indian team management and selectors to give Sanju Samson a longer rope in the shorter format as well. He said that Samson delivers his best while playing in the top three positions, especially as an opener as well.

“(The wicketkeeper-batter has to be a middle-order player) That’s what it looks like in this team. I mean, see ideally, if you have Sanju in the team, and whenever you pick a team, you also need to make sure that you get the best out of everyone. So, Sanju Samson’s best position is as an opener. The second best is at No. 3, and anything else is going to put him under immense pressure. And that’s not how this team was picked… So, Sanju’s destiny is unfortunately not… it requires a bit more patience, it requires a slightly longer rope, and [for] Sanju to also develop the skills to finish because that’s where he is required to bat,” Aakash Chopra concluded.