Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar believes that if Sanju Samson is included in the 15 member squad for the Asia Cup, then he should not be confined to the reserves. According to Gavaskar, a player of Samson’s calibre must be part of the playing eleven. He suggested that the Kerala batter could be tried at number three, following openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.
With Gill returning to the T20 side as vice captain, his opening role was always certain. This leaves the management with a tough choice on how to fit Samson into the line up. The decision essentially comes down to giving Samson a place in the top three or playing Jitesh Sharma, who is more accustomed to finishing roles lower down the order.
Speaking to a group of journalists before the tournament that begins on September 9 in the UAE, Gavaskar explained that Samson should not be considered only as a backup. He said it is actually a positive dilemma for the selectors to have two strong batting options in Samson and Jitesh. Gavaskar added that Samson has the versatility to bat at number three but can also adjust to the finisher’s role at number six if required.
The 76 year old batting great expects that Samson will get opportunities during the competition and predicted he may be preferred over Jitesh in the first couple of matches. India is scheduled to begin its campaign against the UAE on September 10. Gavaskar further noted that Samson’s continuation in the team would depend on his form as the tournament progresses.
In recent seasons, Tilak Varma and captain Suryakumar Yadav have usually batted at number three and four, raising the question of how Samson can be fitted in if he is not used in the middle order, which is not his most comfortable position. Gavaskar suggested that one option could be to let Samson play at number three and move Tilak down to the role of a finisher at five or six. With Hardik Pandya also in the side and likely to bat in the lower middle order, the team combination will require careful planning.