Former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif has thrown his weight behind Sanju Samson to occupy the crucial number 3 batting position for India in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, suggesting the experienced wicketkeeper-batter should be preferred over current World No. 2 T20I batter Tilak Varma.
With India’s campaign beginning on September 10 against UAE in Dubai, the team management faces a selection dilemma after Test captain Shubman Gill‘s return to the T20I squad as vice-captain. Gill’s inclusion has reshaped India’s batting order, with the opener expected to partner Abhishek Sharma at the top, displacing Samson from his recent opening role.
Mohammad Kaif advocates Sanju Samson over Tilak Varma
The 2002 NatWest Series hero, who captained India‘s victorious Under-19 World Cup team in 2000, believes Samson’s experience should take precedence as India prepares for the T20 World Cup scheduled six months later.
“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,” Kaif stated on his YouTube channel.
Kaif emphasized Samson’s superior credentials against spin bowling, particularly highlighting his potential effectiveness against Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan, who recently became the highest wicket-taker in T20I history with 165 scalps.
“He is among the top 10 six-hitters in the IPL. When Rashid Khan comes to bowl in the middle overs, there cannot be a better player against him than Sanju, as he can hit sixes down the ground,” the former cricketer explained.
The Rajasthan Royals captain’s IPL statistics support Kaif’s argument, with Samson having struck 207 sixes across his IPL career, ranking him among the tournament’s most prolific power-hitters. His ability to clear boundaries consistently, combined with his strike rate of 139 in the IPL, makes him a formidable opponent for even elite spinners.
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Kaif reveals the key reason that puts Samson ahead of Tilak in the Asia Cup 2025 race
Kaif specifically referenced Samson’s remarkable performances in challenging South African conditions, where the Kerala batter scored two centuries as an opener in 2024.
“South Africa has one of the toughest conditions for batting, and he has hit two centuries as an opener there. He plays both pace and spin well, and in the IPL, he scores 400-500 runs every year,” the former middle-order batter noted.
Samson’s 2024 T20I performance was exceptional, becoming the only Indian to score three T20I centuries in a single calendar year – one against Bangladesh and two against South Africa. His consistency extends to domestic cricket, with recent strong showings in the Kerala Cricket League reinforcing his current form.
The 30-year-old’s versatility at the number 3 position is well-documented, having played 133 out of 291 innings at that spot in T20 cricket with an average of 35.65 – significantly higher than his overall career average of 29.68. For Rajasthan Royals specifically, Samson has excelled at number 3 with a strike rate of 143, including two centuries and 22 fifties across 94 matches.
With India placed in Group A alongside Pakistan, Oman, and UAE, the team management’s decision on the number 3 position could prove crucial for their Asia Cup campaign and future T20 World Cup preparations.
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