Asia Cup 2025: Suryakumar Yadav's Nod to Sanju Samson Thrills Fans as India Unveils Playing XI

The suspense over India’s playing XI finally ended on Wednesday, 10 September, as the team began their Asia Cup 2025 campaign against hosts UAE in Dubai. Much of the pre-match discussion centred on Sanju Samson’s place in the side, with questions raised over whether the wicketkeeper-batter would retain his spot following Shubman Gill’s long-awaited return to the T20I set-up after more than a year.

Several pundits and former cricketers had suggested that Samson might be the one to make way for Gill at the top of the order, with Jitesh Sharma stepping in as wicketkeeper in the middle order. Jitesh’s inclusion in the 15-man squad, after a standout IPL 2025 campaign with eventual champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, only fuelled such speculation.

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However, there was a welcome twist for Samson’s supporters. The Kerala cricketer held onto his place in the XI, with India choosing to open with Gill and Abhishek Sharma. Samson was preferred to Jitesh as wicketkeeper, but he has now been asked to adapt to a middle-order role.

Batting out of position will be a challenge, but Samson and his fans will be heartened by the faith shown in him. The management rewarded his impressive T20I form over the past 12 months, during which he has been one of India’s most consistent performers.