Sanju Samson: Former India opener Kris Srikkanth has clarified that he doesn’t have any bias against Sanju Samson. He, however, stuck to his stand that he doesn’t see the Kerala cricketer as the first-choice keeper-batter in India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad.
Team India’s squad for the T20 tournament, which will be played in the UAE from September 9 to September 28, was announced in Mumbai on Tuesday, August 19. Shubman Gill made a comeback to the T20I squad and was also named vice-captain. Samson was also retained as one of the two keeper-batters in the team.
While discussing India’s squad selection for Asia Cup 2025 on his YouTube channel ‘Cheeky Cheeka’, Srikkanth predicted that the Men in Blue would go for Jitesh Sharma as keeper-batter in the playing XI and that Gill would open instead of Samson. Explaining his views, he said:
“I am not being biased against Sanju Samson. Tell me, when did he score those three hundreds? By that logic everybody will start playing. We have to look at the recent track record. In the IPL as well, he has not done anything great. He didn’t do well in the last five T20Is as well.”
“If the IPL performance is not considered, then what is the use of having IPL? I like Samson, but where will he play? Jitesh Sharma has to play as finisher. I am pro-Jitesh Sharma, not anti-Sanju Samson. On current form, Samson does not find a place in the team,” the 65-year-old went on to add.
During a season marred by injury and fitness issues, Samson played nine games in IPL 2025, scoring 285 runs at a strike rate of 140.39, with just one 50-plus score to his credit. As for Jitesh, he hammered 261 runs in 11 innings at a strike rate of 176.35 in Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) triumphant campaign.
“Having two keeper-batters is a luxury” – Kris Srikkanth on both Samson, Jitesh being picked for Asia Cup 2025
Sharing further thoughts on India’s Asia Cup 2025 squad selection, Srikkanth, himself a former chief selector, questioned the move to include two wicket-keepers in the 15-man squad. Expressing surprise at the selection policy, he opined:
“Both Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma have been picked in the team. I am not for it. They should have picked only one keeper-batter in the 15-man squad. If there is an injury, they can easily send a replacement player through a flight. The event is in Dubai [UAE]. Having two keeper-batters is a luxury.”
Samson has played 42 T20Is and has scored 861 runs at a strike rate of 152.38, with three hundreds and two fifties to his name. Jitesh has featured in nine T20Is and has hit 100 runs at a strike rate of 147.05.
