Indian batting great Sunil Gavaskar said that if a player of Sanju Samson’s calibre is selected in India’s 15-member squad for the upcoming Asia Cup, he must be included in the playing XI. Gavaskar suggested that the Kerala star should slot in at No 3, following openers Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.

“If you take somebody like Sanju Samson in the core team, then you can’t leave him out in the reserves,” Gavaskar said during an interaction with the media ahead of the tournament starting on September 9 in the UAE.

Sanju, a natural opener who has also proven himself at No 3 and other positions, is unlikely to open the innings following Shubman Gill’s return to the T20 squad as vice-captain. The team management now faces a tough decision- whether to include Sanju in the playing XI by slotting him into the top three, or opt for Jitesh Sharma, who has more experience in a finisher’s role.

“Yes, I think it’s a very good headache to have for any selection committee that you have two capable batters and somebody like Sanju Samson who can maybe even bat at three and if needed come down at six as a finisher,” Gavaskar said. “And Jitesh has also done well in the recently concluded IPL, where he’s played exceedingly well. So yes, I think it’s a pleasant headache for the tour selection committee,” he added.

The 76-year-old feels that Sanju will at least get a couple of matches, if not more. “But 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. But this is what I think will happen,” said the former Indian skipper under whom India won the inaugural Asia Cup ODI tournament in Sharjah in 1984.

Recently, Tilak Varma and captain Suryakumar Yadav have typically occupied the No 3 and No 4 positions, so fitting Sanju Samson into the top order becomes a challenge- especially if he’s not playing in the middle order, which isn’t his preferred role.

“But that’s why I think the team management might be considering using Samson at No 3, and pushing Tilak down to play as a finisher at No 5 or 6. Because Hardik Pandya is also part of the squad, and he’ll likely bat at No 5 or 6 again,” Gavaskar said. “That means one between Rinku Singh or Shivam Dube may have to sit out,” he added. 

India will play their first match in the tournament against UAE on September 10.

(With PTI inputs)