For months, Sanju Samson has been seen as one of India’s most promising T20I openers a batter capable of setting the tone at the top and changing the tempo of an innings in an instant. In the last year alone, he justified the selectors’ faith with three centuries in just 10 innings, cementing his reputation as a match-winner.
Yet, cricket is a game of timing, and Samson’s could not have been worse.
Gill’s Return, Samson’s Dilemma
On Tuesday, chief selector Ajit Agarkar dropped a curveball by naming Shubman Gill not just in the Asia Cup squad but also reinstating him as vice captain. Gill’s comeback immediately threw Samson’s place into jeopardy. The talk around Indian cricket circles was clear: Samson may not just lose his opening role, he may even struggle to find a spot in the XI.
The only door seemingly open? A potential shift down the order as a middle order floater. But in a line-up already stacked with specialists, the odds are stacked against him.
Kerala Cricket League: A Test of Adaptability
On Saturday, the stage was set in the Kerala Cricket League 2025, where Samson turned out for Kochi Blue Tigers against Alleppey Ripples. Walking in at No. 6, it was his first public audition for a middle order role an experiment many believed could define his Asia Cup future.
But instead of silencing the chatter, Samson only added fuel to it. Coming in with Kochi at 108 for 4, he scratched his way to a laborious 13 off 22 deliveries, without a single boundary. His dismissal in the 17th over left him with a strike rate below 60 a number that simply doesn’t survive in modern T20 cricket.
Six Matches to Save His Spot
For now, Samson still has six more league games this month to claw his way back into form. These matches may well be his last chance to prove he can reinvent himself as a reliable middle order option. With no T20Is scheduled for India before the Asia Cup 2025, this domestic stage is his only proving ground.
Meanwhile, the Indian squad is set to land in the UAE early to acclimatise before their campaign begins on September 10. The clock is ticking, and for Samson, every innings from here on is not just another knock it is a career defining audition.
This is now framed like a sports feature column: full of stakes, drama, and narrative.
Do you also want me to create a “Spotlight Section” (like in Cricbuzz/ESPNcricinfo style) highlighting:
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Samson’s last 10 T20I scores
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Gill vs Samson head to head in T20Is
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Why selectors value Gill as vice-captain
