New Delhi: India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate shared insights regarding Sanju Samson’s new batting role in the middle order during the ongoing Asia Cup 2025.
Samson, who scored three centuries in five innings as an opening batsman last year, has been moved to the middle order following Shubman Gill’s return to the T20I setup, where he has been appointed vice-captain.
In the tournament’s initial matches, Samson did not have a chance to bat, but came in at No. 3 during a dead rubber against Oman, scoring a modest 56 off 45 balls amidst challenging pitch conditions. He then batted at No. 5 in a Super Four match against Pakistan, where he managed just 13 runs off 17 balls. Commenting on Samson’s adjustment, ten Doeschate noted that the wicketkeeper-batter is still acclimating to this new position.
“There have been two outings now and two decent opportunities; he’s still figuring out how to execute that role,” ten Doeschate remarked on Samson’s performance. “The wicket was a bit tired in the match against Pakistan. However, with Shubman [Gill] and Abhi [Abhishek Sharma] performing well at the top, alongside the captain batting at three and Tilak [Verma]’s form, we are looking for a reliable No. 5. We believe Sanju is the best fit for that role and have full confidence he will adapt to it moving forward.”
In addition, the assistant coach indicated that Jasprit Bumrah is unlikely to be rested for the upcoming clash against Bangladesh. “It seems very unlikely that we would field a team in the last game knowing we’ve already qualified,” ten Doeschate stated. “Therefore, I would suggest he probably won’t get a rest. Moreover, considering a Test match begins next Thursday, this is good preparation in terms of workload management. If we find ourselves in the fortunate position to rest Bumrah in the last game, we will consider it, but we are focused on selecting our best team for every match. He certainly plays a crucial role in that strategy.”
