The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has finalized Team India’s squad for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.
Shubman Gill makes his comeback to the T20 setup and has even been named vice-captain, while Sanju Samson also finds a place in the side. However, the big question is who among them will open the innings with Abhishek Sharma.
Who Will Open for India?
Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, while announcing the squad, hinted that Gill is the preferred choice. He clarified that Samson had been used as an opener only in Gill’s absence.
This strongly indicates that the team management is likely to back the Abhishek–Gill pair at the top. Still, a look at their T20I numbers paints an interesting picture.
Shubman Gill’s T20 Record
Shubman Gill has featured in 21 T20 Internationals, scoring 578 runs at an average of 30.42 and a strike rate of 139.27.
His tally includes one century and three fifties. In the IPL, he has been consistent, scoring 3,866 runs across 115 innings at an average of 39.44 and a strike rate of 138.71. While his ability to build innings is proven, his strike rate has often raised questions in the T20 format.
Sanju Samson’s T20 Record
Sanju Samson, on the other hand, has enjoyed an extended run in the T20 setup. He has played 42 T20Is so far, amassing 861 runs with three centuries and two half-centuries.
More importantly, Samson has maintained a strong strike rate of 152.38, though his average stands at 25.32. Notably, all three of his centuries have come while opening the innings, underlining his effectiveness at the top.
India squad for Asia Cup 2025:
Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Sanju Samson, Harshit Rana, Rinku Singh.
Standbyes: Prasidh Krishna, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Yahshasvi Jaiswal, Riyan Parag.
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