Sanju Samson bats at number 5 position in ongoing KCL 2025

Is Sanju Samson's opening slot at risk? The question has started to float ahead of the Asia Cup 2025. Today (August 23, 2025), the keeper-batter came to bat at the number 5 position for Kochi Blue Tigers against Alleppey Ripples during a Kerala Cricket League (KCL) match.

Samson, mostly known as an opener, remained ineffective in the new role in the middle order, as the right-handed batter could add only 13 runs off 22 balls. Rather than his well-known batting approach, Sanju played a sluggish innings, without finding the rope at least once.

The inclusion of Shubman Gill in the Asia Cup 2025 is considered a vital call from the BCCI selectors, as the batsman is another natural opener in the squad along with Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson. Shubman's presence in the squad raised a question among cricket fans: will the team management be going to push Sanju in the middle order to allow Gill to open the innings for India?

An unusual Sanju Samson before Asia Cup 2025

The question sparked again when Samson walked into the field for Kochi Blue Tigers as the number 5 batter. Because of his batting credibility, the keeper-batter is always surrounded by high hopes. Throughout his professional cricket career, he has had to deal with a lack of consistency. Ahead of the Asia Cup 2025, his unimpressive performance as a middle-order batsman can be a reason to raise concerns again. The top-order batter was not up to the mark during the previous few T20Is with Team India.

Sanju Samson's last 5 T20Is:

26 vs England, Eden Gardens

5 vs.l England, Chennai

3 vs England, Rajkot

1 vs England, Pune

16 vs England vs Wankhede