Former Indian opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth believes it would be difficult for Sanju Samson to break into India’s playing XI in the Asia Cup. Samson has done a decent job in T20Is after he was included in the team following the 2024 T20 World Cup triumph.
The Kerala batter has scored three centuries in the T20I format, but Srikkanth said Samson is not in the best of form. After Shubman Gill was named as India’s vice-captain, there are doubts over Samson’s place in the final XI.
The RR captain scored 285 runs in nine matches of IPL 2025 at an average of 35.63 and a strike rate of 140.39. The flamboyant right-hander has amassed 861 runs in 42 T20I matches at an average of 25.32 and a strike rate of 152.39.
Srikkanth feels Jitesh Sharma will be India’s first-choice wicket-keeper batter. Jitesh scored 261 runs in 11 innings for RCB in IPL 2025 at a blistering strike rate of 176.35.
Kris Srikkanth said on his YouTube Channel, “I am not being biased against Sanju Samson. Tell me, when did he score those three hundreds? By that logic, everybody will start playing. We have to look at the recent track record. In the IPL as well, he has not done anything great. He didn’t do well in the last five T20Is as well.”
“If the IPL performance is not considered, then what is the use of having IPL? I like Samson, but where will he play? Jitesh Sharma has to play as a finisher. I am pro-Jitesh Sharma, not anti-Sanju Samson. On current form, Samson does not find a place in the team,” the 65-year-old went on to add.
Srikkanth said having two wicket-keeper batters in the squad is a luxury for India, and he is not impressed with the selectors for including two keepers.
“Both Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma have been picked in the team. I am not for it. They should have picked only one keeper-batter in the 15-man squad. If there is an injury, they can easily send a replacement player through a flight. The event is in Dubai [UAE]. Having two keeper-batters is a luxury.”
Dhruv Jurel, another wicket-keeper bat, is part of the reserves for the Asia Cup.
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