Right-handed batter Sanju Samson has a new role to deal with, and it’s safe to say that he has not set the stage on fire while batting at No.5 in the 2025 Asia Cup. The 30-year-old might have scored a half-century against Oman in the group stage; however, his performance in the Super 4s game against Pakistan at the Dubai International Stadium left much to be desired.
Sanju scored 13 runs off 17 balls, and his innings was cut short by Haris Rauf.
Ahead of the Super 4s match against Bangladesh, Team India assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admitted that Sanju is still getting used to his new role; however, he was quick to point out that the management fully believes in his abilities.
Ryan ten Doeschate all but confirmed that the management would stick with Samson for the entirety of the eight-team tournament despite having Jitesh Sharma and Rinku Singh as more experienced middle-order batters in the squad.
“Yeah, I think he has had two decent chances. And I think he is still figuring out how to play that role. I think the wicket also got a little bit tired in the Pakistan game,” ten Doeschate told reporters.
“But certainly with the way Shubman and Abi are going at the top, and with your captain batting at No. 3, and the way Tilak has played, we are looking for a No. 5. We believe Sanju is the best man for the job. I have no doubt he will figure out how to play that role in the future,” he added.
Sanju averages nearly 40 as an opener in the last two years; however, his numbers aren’t that great when batting in the middle order. He has just managed one half-century while batting in the middle. Even in the IPL, Sanju has been hesitant to leave the top order.
Jitesh, Rinku unlikely to feature in the Asia Cup
The key member of India’s support staff also confirmed that Jitesh and Rinku are unlikely to be included in the playing XI as the management wants to maintain the winning combination.
“We tried in Abu Dhabi to get these guys some time in the middle. But we are managing things with an eye on doing well in key tournaments like the Asia Cup. Someone like Rinku or Jitesh is unlikely to get game time given the current situation. But they are doing well in training,” said ten Doeschate.
“We probably have to look at bilateral series as a realistic opportunity to give them exposure. With the Super Four format, even two wins don’t guarantee progression to the next stage. We can’t afford to take our foot off the pedal,” he added.