Samson โand Sharma Vie for Middleโข Order โฃSpot in India‘s Asiaโฃ Cup 2025 Squad
MUMBAIโฃ – The selection of wicket-keeperโค batsmen โfor India’sโค 15-member Asia Cup 2025 squad is generating important debate,โ with Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma โemerging as keyโ contenders for a middle-orderโฃ position. Both players have been included in the preliminary squad,โข setting up โa competitive โbattleโ for a place inโ the final XI.
Over the past year, Samson has consistently performed well as a wicket-keeper in T20 matches. However, theโค return of Shubman Gill too the lineup adds complexity to the selection process. Gill is expected to occupy a top-order spot, potentially pushing Samson down the batting order.
While Jitesh Sharma presents a strong โฃchallenge to Samson, the latter has demonstrated recent formโ in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL). Samson stabilizedโ his performance in KCL, achieving a strike rate of 186.80 and scoring four consecutive half-centuries. His scores included 89 off 51 balls, 46 off 46 balls, 62 off 62 balls, and 83 off 83โฃ balls.
Inโฃ the 2025โ IPL season,Samson accumulated 285 runs. โHe also showed promise โฃin the recent five-match T20 series against England, crossing 30 runs in each game. However, hisโ international T20 record remains limited, with โคonly five appearances in the middle order. Similarly, forโข Rajasthan Royals, heโข batted โฃat โnumberโข five three times, scoring 34 runs.
Sharma, known forโค his aggressive batting styleโ and a strike rate of 176.35, could be favored as a specialist โfinisher inโข the lower middle order. Both Samson and Sharma areโฃ also competing for the role of second โคwicket-keeper batsman inโ the upcomingโ World Cup squad.
India’s team โขfor Asia Cupโฃ 2025:
suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, โAbhishek โSharma, Hardik โคpatel, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson.
Standbys: Prasid Krishna, Washington sundar, Ryanโ Parag, Dhruv Jurel,โข yashasviโ Jaiswal.