India May Go with Jitesh Sharma Instead of Sanju Samson in Asia Cup Opener

Jitesh Sharma Poised to Start Over Sanju Samson in India’s Asia Cup Opener.

Jitesh Sharma is likely to be India’s preferred wicketkeeper-batter over Sanju Samson in the Men in Blue’s opening match of the Asia Cup 2025 against UAE on September 10. Early indications from India’s first practice session in Dubai suggest Samson could be benched, with Sharma receiving more attention from head coach Gautam Gambhir during extended batting drills.

Sanju Samson’s spot in the playing XI has been under scrutiny since Shubman Gill’s return to the T20I setup. With Gill expected to open as vice-captain, Samson faces competition with Jitesh Sharma for a middle-order role as wicketkeeper-batter.

Jitesh’s credentials make him India’s front-runner for the opening fixture. The 31-year-old was a standout finisher for Royal Challengers Bengaluru in IPL 2025, scoring 261 runs in 11 innings at an average of 37.28 and a strike rate of 176.35. His highlight came against Lucknow Super Giants, where he smashed 85* off 33 balls to guide RCB to a 228-run chase in 18.4 overs. Sharma last represented India in January 2024 against Afghanistan, accumulating 100 runs in seven T20Is.

Meanwhile, Sanju Samson has been in sensational form, scoring 368 runs from five innings in the Kerala Cricket League at an average of 73.60 and a strike rate of 186.80. In T20Is, he has slammed three centuries in 12 innings since being promoted to open by captain Suryakumar Yadav in October 2024, amassing 417 runs at an average of 37.90.

With Gill opening the innings in the Asia Cup, Samson will likely have to wait for his opportunity, leaving Jitesh Sharma as India’s first-choice wicketkeeper-batter for the tournament opener.