One topic that isn’t likely to relent for a while is whether or not Sanju Samson should maintain his spot at the top of the order in the batting lineup. With Shubman Gill making a strong comeback as well as Abhishek Sharma staking a solid claim to his spot, we can all presumably conclude that Samson’s uncertainty as an opening option is sizeable as of now. However, we should all be matter-of-fact about the fact that dropping Sanju now could cause a bigger problem than keeping him in the team. Thus, here are my reasons why India has to reconsider dropping the wicket-keeper batter from Kerala.
The Value of a Well-Gelled Opening Duo
Since Gautam Gambhir took charge as head coach, one of his key tasks has been finding a new opening duo post-Rohit and Virat retirements. India needed a left-right combination capable of tearing the opposition apart in the powerplay. While Gill and Jaiswal have their moments, availability issues meant that Gambhir paired Sanju Samson with Abhishek Sharma—and the results were impressive.
You not only develop the relationship between Samson and Sharma, but also… They have opened for three consecutive series and are familiar with each other’s movements, changes in tempo, and aggression. Having chemistry like that in T20 cricket, especially before a tournament, is absolute gold. Switching to Gill and Sharma runs the risk of interrupting their harmony and putting this pair back to square one, a few months out from the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Samson is a powerhouse in the power play
Modern T20s are all about attacking from ball one, and Samson has been the perfect partner for an ultra-aggressive opener like Abhishek Sharma. While Sharma can strike at nearly 200, it’s vital to have someone at the other end who can maintain the tempo without panicking—and that’s exactly what Sanju does. His strike rate of 147.31 in T20I powerplays last year and 142.85 in IPL 2025 shows consistency, not flashes of brilliance.
Boundary frequency is another area where Samson stood out. Samson’s quick-fire boundary every 4.3 balls in IPL 2025 highlights his edge over Gill in setting aggressive starts. That is the kind of pressure creator that keeps bowlers anxious and can set the course for the innings.
Balance and depth: the wicket-keeper advantage
Without Sanju Samson, India would have to fit Jitesh Sharma down the order, and they would have to give away either a frontline bowler or an all-rounder for balance. That would also upset the carefully crafted bowling combinations of Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and pace bowlers Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.
Playing Samson keeps the wicket-keeper spot locked at the top, freeing up space to include another all-rounder or batter without compromising bowling firepower. Essentially, Samson gives India more flexibility to play a complete, well-rounded XI—a factor that can make or break matches in crunch situations. Depth matters, and in T20s, it often decides tight games. Samson offers both reliability and versatility, which is exactly what India needs heading into the Asia Cup.
FAQs
- Why is the Samson-Sharma opening combination important?
They have established chemistry and provide explosive starts in the power play.
- How does Sanju Samson perform in the power play?
He maintains a high strike rate and consistently hits boundaries, keeping momentum alive.
- What advantage does having a wicket-keeper opener provide India?
It allows India to include an extra batter or all-rounder without weakening the bowling attack.
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