“You Cannot…”: Sunil Gavaskar’s Clear Message To Gautam Gambhir And Suryakumar Yadav On Sanju Samson

Sunil Gavaskar believes Sanju Samson should not be left out of India’s playing XI at the Asia Cup if he has been picked in the 15. With Shubman Gill back as vice-captain and a likely opener alongside Abhishek Sharma, the selection debate has narrowed to where Samson fits versus whether he plays at all. Gavaskar’s view is firm: pick Samson, define his role, and let him settle.

What Gavaskar Said

“If you take somebody like Sanju Samson in the core team, then you can’t leave him out in the reserves,” Gavaskar said, urging head coach Gautam Gambhir and T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav to back Samson with a starting role. He added that selection day is a “pleasant headache” because Jitesh Sharma has also performed well, but Samson’s versatility gives the management more options across phases.

Gavaskar went further on the batting order call. “Maybe they might even be thinking in terms of having him (Samson) at number three and having Tilak as a finisher at five or six. Because Hardik (Pandya) is in your team as well. So, Hardik will probably be batting at five or six again.” He also forecast the initial XI: “My feeling is that maybe Samson will probably get the nod ahead of Jitesh for at least the first couple of games. And then, depending on what his form is for the rest of the tournament.”

Where Samson Fits

The two cleanest templates are already on the board. If Gill opens with Abhishek, Samson at No. 3 gives India a power player who hits straight and handles high-quality spin in the middle overs. That move keeps Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4—his most damaging slot—and lets Tilak Varma flex between No. 5/6 as a left-hand finisher if conditions or match-ups demand it. The alternative—dropping Samson for a specialist finisher-keeper—narrows India’s middle-overs punch and reduces contingency if early wickets fall.

Samson’s recent white-ball returns have come with authority at the top, but his game translates to first drop: he starts quickly, picks length early, and has a strong down-the-ground range that discourages attacking fields against spin. In T20s, that profile at No. 3 is often the glue between a fast start and a big finish.

The Balancing Act For India

India’s T20I blueprint under Gambhir has favoured fast starts and role clarity. With Gill and Abhishek to set the tone and Suryakumar controlling the middle, the last big call is the Samson–Jitesh axis. Jitesh is a proven late-over hitter and a clean wicketkeeping option. Samson offers keeper cover too but, crucially, strengthens overs 7–15 where elite attacks squeeze games. Gavaskar’s advice leans toward giving Samson the first look—and the fair runway—before making tweaks as the tournament progresses.

India open against UAE on September 10, with Afghanistan up next and the high-voltage Pakistan clash on September 14 in Dubai. Locking a batting order now reduces noise later. If Samson is in the 15 for his ceiling, the argument goes, he should be in the XI for his impact.