Sanju Samson has finally breathed a sigh of relief as he retained his place in India’s playing XI for the Asia Cup 2025 opener against the United Arab Emirates. Despite widespread reports suggesting that Jitesh Sharma would take the wicketkeeping role, the team management decided to back Samson’s experience and recent T20I form. Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma opened the innings, while Tilak Varma was slotted at No.4, with Samson positioned in the middle order.
Samson’s inclusion came after weeks of speculation. Many expected Jitesh Sharma, who had impressed in the IPL 2025 season with Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to be the first-choice wicketkeeper. However, captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir have chosen to value consistency, allowing Samson to prove his worth on the big stage.
In 2024, Samson enjoyed a dream run in T20 internationals, scoring three centuries, including one against Bangladesh and two against South Africa. His partnership with Abhishek Sharma at the top had been one of India’s major strengths, but with Gill named vice-captain, a shuffle was inevitable. The Kerala batter has now been tasked with adapting to the middle-order role, something the management feels will strengthen the team balance.
Robin Uthappa’s pre-match prediction also turned accurate, as he had tipped Samson to bat at No.3 or in the middle order. Uthappa highlighted that Gambhir and Suryakumar value a flexible batting order, keeping the left-right combination intact.
The playing XI for the match also saw Shivam Dube included ahead of Rinku Singh, with Jasprit Bumrah leading the pace attack supported by Hardik Pandya. Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakaravarthy, and Axar Patel handled the spin responsibilities. Suryakumar Yadav, after winning the toss, chose to bowl first against UAE.
India playing XI vs UAE: Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (captain), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.