Asia Cup 2025: With multiple options for the opening slot, which combination will Team India go for?
Having plenty of options, might not be the best thing always. When it comes to white-ball cricket, Team India can easily field at least three teams, who would be equally competent, with the kind of talent pool they have now. So, with the Asia Cup 2025 coming up in only a month, Gautam Gambhir, selectors and Suryakumar Yadav will have to sit together, and do the difficult task of picking a team.
Abhishek Sharma/Sanju Samson Combo for Asia Cup?
In that too, what would be the biggest conundrum faced by these men, will be the selection of their choice of openers. Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma is the pair that India has been going for some time now. But then there is Yashasvi Jaiswal in the loop, and so is Shubman Gill. One should also not forget about Sai Sudharsan, who had an exceptional IPL 2025, and finished as the orange cap holder, with 759 runs, at an average of 54. So, he is in the mix too.
Let’s analyze one-by-one. For the last one year or so, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson have been opening for the team. Individually the performances have come, but mostly it has been the case of one partner failing and the other one delivering. For instance, in 2024, Abhishek Sharma averaged only 23, while this year in five matches, he has scored 279 runs, and averages 55.
Yashasvi Jaiswal Solid Contender
On the flip side, Sanju was excellent last year, and scored 436 runs in 13 innings, including three tons, but this year, in 5 outings he averages only 10. So, with these two, it has been a mixed bag. If we consider the IPL 2025, Abhishek ended with 439 runs at an avg of 33, while Sanju added 285 at an average of 35. Not bad, and not great either.
The next in line in Jaiswal.. somehow when it comes to white ball, he just misses out with so many options available. But with 559 runs in the IPL, he surely presents a strong case. He slammed six fifties for RR, when the team was struggling overall. Despite this, he played his last of 23 T20Is in 2024.. and there too has a good record averaging 36.
Shubman Gill Looks Like Certainty
Now comes in Test skipper Shubman Gill. He too has performances which can’t be ignored. 650 runs in the IPL, over 750 runs in IND vs ENG Tests, and 578 runs overall in 21 innings in T20Is. He hasn’t played the shortest format for India since 2024. But now, he just can’t be avoided.
While there can be no definite answer to this, it just seems that Sanju, on current form could be ignored from the Asia Cup India squad. Avg of 10 this year just doesn’t help his case. What that could mean is, India could look to open with Shubman and Abhishek, while as a reserve opener, it could be a tough fight between Jaiswal and Sudharsan.
As for rest of the batting, it could be Tilak Varma who could occupy the no. 3 slot, followed by skipper Suryakumar at no. 4. But still, all-in-all, could be a tough one for the selectors.
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