Asia Cup: Indications from Practice Sessions Suggest Sanju Samson Might Not Feature in Playing XI

The question of whether Sanju Samson will be included in India’s playing XI for the Asia Cup 2025 has been a hot topic since the squad announcement. The appointment of Shubman Gill as vice-captain further fueled the debate. With the tournament commencing and India’s first match scheduled for September 10th, practice sessions have provided hints about the team’s potential composition. According to reports, the practice session on September 8th indicated that Samson may not be in the initial lineup. During the first hour and a half of batting practice, Samson was not among the batsmen who took to the nets. The batting order included Abhishek Sharma, vice-captain Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, captain Suryakumar Yadav, Shivam Dube, and Hardik Pandya. Jitesh Sharma also participated in batting practice, while Samson was occupied with wicketkeeping drills. This practice session doesn’t paint a positive picture for Samson, as he is competing with Jitesh Sharma for the wicketkeeper-batsman spot in the playing XI. After the initial batting practice, Jitesh Sharma spent time on wicketkeeping. Samson eventually got a chance to bat in the nets later on. While no official statements have been made regarding the playing eleven, the practice session hinted that Samson might have to wait for his opportunity in the tournament.