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Pushed down the order to accommodate T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson managed to deliver with a few impressive knocks in the T20 Asia Cup 2025. Samson played the role of perfect team man in the tournament. Against Bangladesh, he did not even get to bat as Axar Patel was sent ahead of him. But, Samson is unfazed about the outside noise and determined to make any spot his own in Team India as long as he is part of the playing eleven. In the recent CEAT Cricket Rating Awards in Mumbai, Samson said that he can't say no to any role when he wears the Indian jersey.
“When you wear that Indian jersey, you can't say no to anything. I have really worked very hard to wear that jersey, and more importantly, to stay in their dressing room,” Samson told the presenter.
Samson even joked about bowling left-arm spin if it means he gets a place in the side.
“I take a lot of pride in doing a job for my country. So even if they want to bat me at number 9, maybe bowl some left arm spin, I think I'm happy to do that as well,” said the wicketkeeper-batter.
Samson retained his place in the T20I squad for Australia tour. However, he did not make a comeback to the ODI team in the absence of an injured Rishabh Pant. Dhruv Jurel was picked in the squad for him for Australia tour.
Agarkar’s explanation for Samson’s absence from ODI squad
Chief selector Ajit Agarkar said that Samson wasn’t selected in the ODI squad because in the format, he can’t bat in the middle order unlike the T20Is where he is batting out of position which is the top order.
“It’s more (due to) position (that he’s not in the squad). I mean, Sanju Samson bats at the top of the order. I think when he got a hundred, I think he batted number three, if I’m not wrong. Jurel usually bats low down the order. KL bats there as well. You’ve seen how good a player Dhruv is. So again, you’re looking at spots. I don’t think there’s room at the top again. So we’re looking at guys who can fit in those spots,” Agarkar said in the press conference.
“And obviously, Sanju at the moment in T20 cricket is batting there and we’re trying him there. But in one-day cricket, it’s a little bit different. So that’s basically the thought. It’s more the position than anything else.”
When will Samson be back in action?
The T20I series will begin on October 31 at Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne. So far, he has played three T20Is on Australian soil and scored 48 runs at a strike rate of 141.17.
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