Shashi Tharoor questions Sanju Samson’s batting role after Asia Cup 2025 final – India may have clinched their record ninth Asia Cup title by beating Pakistan in the 2025 final at Dubai, but the team combination has come under fresh debate.
Congress MP and cricket enthusiast Shashi Tharoor raised concerns about India’s batting order, specifically Sanju Samson’s role in the middle order. Taking to X, Tharoor questioned the decision to break up the highly successful opening pair of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, which had brought India great success in previous matches.
“It is fair to ask a few questions, without in any way detracting from our victory. Was it right to break up the hugely successful opening partnership of Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, and relegate a three-time centurion to a middle slot where he was uncomfortable? Did Gill’s performances at the Asia Cup justify such a change? Would it not be better to restore Sanju to the place where he has shone for India, put Gill at number three, and have Surya take the number five slot instead?” wrote Tharoor.
Gill vs Samson Debate
During the Asia Cup, Shubman Gill was promoted to open alongside Abhishek Sharma. Gill scored 127 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 151.19 but failed to make any big impact. Meanwhile, Sanju Samson, who usually opens, was shifted to the middle order where he scored 132 runs in four innings at a strike rate of 124.53.
Prior to the tournament, Samson had been India’s first-choice opener. However, with Gill’s return and his appointment as vice-captain, the management backed him as a permanent opener, pushing Samson down the order.
Samson on handling pressure in final
In the high-pressure final, Samson scored a gritty 20 runs and built a vital partnership with Tilak Varma after India’s top order collapsed during the powerplay.
Reflecting on the match, Samson said:
“Yeah, I really enjoyed the pressure actually. I have not played many India-Pakistan games, but today, I think the pressure was all over there. Three wickets down in the powerplay, so I just had to use my experience, calm the nerves down, and just watch the ball and react. That’s what I did, and it came off nicely. I think I had a really good partnership with Tilak, and really enjoyed playing the game today.”
Despite the debate, Samson’s composure under pressure helped India recover, eventually leading to their title-winning performance.
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