Sanju Samson, who displayed phenomenal form in the Kerala Cricket League (KCL 2025) season, may not be an automatic starter in the playing XI in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025 tournament. Cricketer-turned-expert Aakash Chopra has backed Jitesh Sharma to be picked as the specialist keeper-batter for the Continental Cup, starting on September 09 to 28. The former Indian cricketer player stated that the player's numbers and strike rate while playing the IPL 2025 season for RCB, scoring 261 runs at a phenomenal strike rate of 176, might get him a nod.
It was this performance that gave the selection panel the belief that Jitesh would be a perfect fit for the Asia Cup side. Coming in at crucial junctures, the keeper-batter displayed great calm & composure in helping RCB set huge totals & chasing big totals.
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"I feel Jitesh Sharma will play in the XI. We shouldn't think too much about positions one to three because he won't get a chance there. However, his numbers at positions four to seven have become a lot better. He has a strike rate of 166 and an average of 28. He is the first batter whose strike rate is above 150. So when the pecking order is prepared, he will go right to the top. Jitesh Sharma's numbers have looked the best among everyone else. He is shining bright and seems to be at number one. I really hope he has a good Asia Cup," said Chopra on his YouTube channel on Monday.
Where will Sanju Samson fit in Asia Cup playing XI?
With Shubman Gill being selected as the opener & also named vice-captain in the Continental Cup squad, the chances of Sanju playing as the opener at present look very bleak. Also, with Jitesh named as the second keeper-batter, Chopra feels Samson's effectiveness declines as he moves lower down the order.
“Sanju Samson is the first contender because he played the last series. He has struck three centuries in the last 12 matches. He is also part of the team at the moment.
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While the former India opener lauded his incredible number at the top order in the T20Is, as he has scored 6,000 runs at a strike rate of 140 at an average of 33, which are terrific numbers. So the RR skipper is a real contender if you want a keeper-batter in the top three position.
"But when I look at his numbers from four to seven, he has played 98 matches with an average of 20 and a strike rate of 126. Neither the strike rate nor the average looks very good there. You would keep Sanju as a front runner at the top, but suddenly, when you change his batting position, he goes down in the list,” he added.
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India is set to close play 15 T20Is ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, and they have plenty of time to finalize the keeper-batter for the showpiece event. Apart from Jitesh & Samson, Rishabh Pant is also in contention to play in the shortest format. The southpaw was also the designated keeper-batter for the T20 World Cup last year.
