India may have won the Asia Cup 2025 with a spotless 7–0 record, but one thing still doesn’t quite sit right with fans and pundits alike: the decision to move Sanju Samson as opener down the order. With Shubman Gill returning to the squad, team management reshuffled the top, placing Gill in his usual opening slot and asking Samson to adjust to the middle. Did the move pay off? Well, not exactly.

A New Opener, A Big Shuffle

Gill’s return to the T20I side after a year away was, let’s be honest, a big deal. Not only was he brought back, he was made vice-captain straight away, and with that, came a series of domino effects. To accommodate Shubman Gill in Asia Cup 2025, India shifted their top order around, notably dropping Sanju Samson as opener to the middle order.

That said, it is fair to ask a few questions, without in any way detracting from our victory. Was it right to break up the hugely successful opening partnership of @abhisheksharm06 and @IamSanjuSamson, and relegate a three-time centurion to a middle slot where he was…

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) September 29, 2025

This adjustment wasn’t just about one player moving a peg down. It meant Yashasvi Jaiswal, statistically one of India’s best T20I openers, was left out entirely. The much-loved opening duo of Abhishek Sharma and Samson, which had been racking up runs at an aggressive clip, was broken apart. The move also contradicted India’s recent T20 approach of going hard from ball one, a style Samson had thrived in.

Gill’s Struggles and Samson’s Sacrifice

Now let’s talk numbers, shall we? If the aim was to improve top-order performance, it didn’t quite work out. India opener selection in Asia Cup turned out to be a mixed bag. Here’s how Gill and Samson stacked up during the tournament:

Shubman Gill in Asia Cup 2025 had one solid knock, 47 against Pakistan, but otherwise struggled to find rhythm. Samson, on the other hand, played fewer matches, batted in multiple positions (No. 3, No. 5, even as low as No. 8!), yet still managed a higher average. One wonders how much more effective he could have been had he opened alongside Abhishek as before.

A Winning Team, But At What Cost?

Yes, India won. Yes, the trophy is in the cabinet. But cricket isn’t just about the result; it’s about the process. And the current process, especially the India opener selection in Asia Cup, raises eyebrows. Promoting Gill, who hadn’t played a T20I in over a year, over an in-form Sanju Samson as opener, sent a mixed message: form takes a backseat to hierarchy?

“Yeah, I really enjoyed the pressure actually. I have not played many India-Pakistan games, but today, I think the pressure was all over there. Three wickets down in the powerplay, so I just had to use my experience, calm the nerves down, and just watch the ball and react. That’s what I did, and it came off nicely. I think I had a really good partnership with Tilak, and really enjoyed playing the game today,” Samson said.

This shuffle disrupts team balance. Samson has openly said he enjoys pressure situations, and he did steady the innings during the tense final, but his best comes at the top. Even Congress MP Shashi Tharoor chimed in, asking why a three-time T20I centurion was demoted to a role where he was visibly less comfortable. It’s a fair question. And let’s not forget, Shubman Gill in Asia Cup 2025 didn’t exactly justify his promotion with consistent runs. In a team brimming with young attacking talent, it’s not ideal to gamble with your opening pair just to fit in a name.

Related Article：Is Team India Wasting Sanju Samson in Asia Cup 2025?

The Case for Samson’s Return to the Top

The writing’s on the wall: bring Sanju Samson as opener back. This isn’t just nostalgia talking. In 2024, Samson averaged 43.6 as an opener with a blistering strike rate of 180. He scored three centuries in 10 innings. That kind of form shouldn’t be messed with. India needs firepower up front, and Samson provides exactly that.

🚨 HISTORY BY SANJU SAMSON 🚨

– Sanju Samson has most sixes by an Indian WK batter in T20I history. 🤯💥 pic.twitter.com/KzwctQzk1T

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 29, 2025

It’s not about dropping Shubman Gill in Asia Cup 2025 completely. Maybe he fits better at No. 3, where he can take a few balls to settle without costing momentum. Meanwhile, Samson and Abhishek can give India that early push, the kind of aggressive start that has become essential in modern T20 cricket.

Final Thoughts

India’s clean sweep at the Asia Cup 2025 has rightly been celebrated. But even in victory, it’s okay, healthy, even, to question decisions. The India opener selection in Asia Cup felt more political than tactical. If India wants to continue this winning streak into the T20 World Cup, it might be time to make the smart, not sentimental, choice. Bring back Sanju Samson as opener. Let the man do what he does best.