‘We are taking good care of him,’ India captain Surya replies to query on Sanju Samson
Published: September 09, 2025 06:57 PM IST
1 minute Read
Sanju Samson during an Indian team practice session in Dubai. Photo: BCCI
Sanju Samson was a subject of interest during the pre-Asia Cup captains’ press conference in Dubai on Tuesday. India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav gave a cheeky response when asked about the possibility of seeing Sanju in India’s playing XI for the event opener against the UAE on September 10.
“I will message you the whole team, sir,” Suryakumar told a journalist from Kerala, who enquired about Sanju. The Indian skipper then added, “We are taking good care of him. Don’t worry, we will take the right decision tomorrow.”
Sanju is unlikely to open the innings due to the availability of Shubman Gill, which has cast doubts over the Kerala star’s inclusion in the 11 as a middle-order batter. The team management, headed by Gautam Gambhir, is expected to prefer the other wicketkeeper batter, Jitesh Sharma, in the middle rather than Sanju, considering the latter isn’t quite effective playing down the order.
In recent weeks, several former national players have called for Sanju’s inclusion in the 11. Legendary batter Sunil Gavaskar, his fellow World Cup winner Ravi Shastri, and former star Mohammad Kaif have called for considering Sanju in the team.
Sanju was a non-playing member of the Indian squad led by Rohit Sharma that clinched the T20 World Cup last year. Last year, Sanju hit three T20I centuries, including two in South Africa.
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