Asia Cup 2025: Samson vs. Jitesh for Wicketkeeper Spot Hinges on Gill's Batting Order Hoặc: India's Asia Cup Dilemma: Can Samson's Top-Order Prowess Outweigh Jitesh's Finishing Skills? Gill Holds the Key

NEW DELHI: Who should open for India? Who bats at No. 3? Who slots into the middle order? Team India management and captain Suryakumar Yadav have a happy headache ahead of their Asia Cup 2025 opener. But beyond these questions, perhaps the toughest one is - who will be India’s wicketkeeper? The choice is between Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma, and it won’t be an easy call as both enter the tournament with impressive stats to their names.Samson has worked tirelessly over the last 12 months, batting fiercely, producing big knocks, and establishing himself as a consistent T20I opener. His last 10 T20I innings include three centuries, underlining his progress and hunger in the shortest format.He struck two hundreds in South Africa - 107 in Durban and an unbeaten 109 in Johannesburg - after scoring 111 against Bangladesh in Hyderabad last October.With Shubman Gill returning as T20I vice-captain, the management is certain to prefer a Gill - Abhishek Sharma opening combination. In that case, Samson may have to give up his opening role. But is that the right call? Or should the management continue with the Samson - Abhishek pairing?Samson's last 10 T20I innings:Jitesh comes into the Asia Cup after a superb IPL season where he excelled as a finisher, producing match-winning innings in pressure situations. He was instrumental in RCB's maiden IPL title triumph. So, who makes the cut - Samson or Jitesh? Will India opt for opener Samson or finisher Jitesh?Former India wicketkeeper-batter MSK Prasad believes Samson’s selection depends on his batting slot."If Sanju is slotted at number 3, then he will play. He has even scored back-to-back centuries in South Africa batting higher up. In the pecking order, he comes ahead of Jitesh. But if he’s not batting at 3, then I don’t see him finding a place at 5 or 6. In my view, the batting order should be: Sanju at 3, Suryakumar at 4, and then someone like Rinku at 6. That’s the ideal balance," Prasad tells TimesofIndia.com."Jitesh is a better finisher, no doubt. He understands that role well. Sanju, on the other hand, has always been most effective batting up the order. So it really depends on what the team management wants. If they need a top-order wicketkeeper, then Sanju is the obvious choice. But if they feel the top order is settled and need a finisher, then Jitesh might get the nod. Either way, it’s a good problem to have, but to be honest, what wrong did Sanju do to be sidelined? He has scored hundreds in South Africa, and you can’t ignore that," he adds.But can Samson adapt to No. 6? The Kerala batter has rarely played as a finisher in T20s, while Jitesh has already proven himself in that role. That gives the RCB wicketkeeper-batter an edge.Former India wicketkeeper-batter Saba Karim, however, feels there is no 'first-choice' wicketkeeper in this squad and it all depends on Gill’s batting position. If Gill bats at No. 3, Samson can continue as an opener. If Gill opens, Samson moves to No. 3. If the team looks for a finisher, then Jitesh fits the role and Samson may have to step aside."It’s not about a 'first choice' as such, it depends on where the team wants to slot the wicketkeeper. If the idea is to have a wicketkeeper at the top of the order, then Sanju Samson is the option. If the team needs a finisher at No. 5 or No. 6, then Jitesh Sharma fits the role. Once the management has that clarity, the decision becomes easier for the captain and selectors," Saba said."I see Sanju Samson more as a top-order batter, someone who can play from No. 1 to No. 3. If the management wants to use him in that role, then he deserves a look-in, especially given his past T20I performances. But with Shubman Gill also in the XI, there’s a question of who bats at No. 3 — Gill or Samson. If that slot is open, Samson fits well. On the other hand, if the team wants a finisher lower down, then Jitesh Sharma is the better choice. India also has options like Rinku Singh for the middle order, so it’s all about balance," he added.