Asia Cup 2025: 'Sanju deserves No.3' – Ex India player backs Samson ahead of Tilak Varma

Former India batter Mohammad Kaif has backed Sanju Samson to bat at No.3 ahead of Tilak Varma in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025. India will start their campaign on September 10 against the United Arab Emirates, and Suryakumar Yadav’s side faces important decisions on their batting order. With Shubman Gill included as vice-captain, it is almost certain that the 25-year-old will open the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma. This leaves Samson’s position in the balance. Over the past year, the 30-year-old has often opened alongside Abhishek. Last year, Samson smashed three T20I centuries, one against Bangladesh and two against South Africa. He has also been in strong form in the Kerala Cricket League. After starting the tournament batting lower down the order, Samson returned to the opening position following two quiet innings and immediately found his rhythm. Tilak Varma, however, has also been in fine touch at No.3 for India. The young left-hander scored back-to-back centuries against South Africa last year, making the selection for the Asia Cup a challenging decision for the management. Kaif shared his view in a video on Instagram, saying, “Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill will open in the Asia Cup. For the No.3 spot, I feel Tilak Varma is a youngster and can wait for his turn. Sanju is an experienced batter, and he could be groomed by giving him consistent opportunities at No.3. There is a World Cup after six months, and he deserves a chance.” Kaif added that Samson would be India’s best bet against a team like Afghanistan, especially when facing a bowler of Rashid Khan’s calibre. “He is among the top 10 six-hitters in the IPL. That is why I believe when Rashid Khan comes to bowl in the middle overs, there cannot be a better player than Sanju, as he can hit sixes down the ground,” said Kaif. The former India batter also highlighted Samson’s consistency in different conditions. “South Africa has one of the toughest batting conditions, and he scored two centuries as an opener there. He plays both pace and spin well, and in the IPL, he scores 400-500 runs every year,” he said. Kaif further emphasised Samson’s experience and current form, making him hard to overlook in the eight-team tournament that starts on September 9 with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong. “Sanju Samson is the most senior member of this Asia Cup squad. He made his debut in 2015 and was part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad in 2024 in Barbados. He didn’t play every game, but when he did, he scored runs at a 180 strike rate. He has scored a truckload of runs and has been in excellent form in the Kerala Cricket League,” Kaif added.