IND vs BAN: India continued their unbeaten run in the 2025 Asia Cup with a 41-run win over Bangladesh in the Super Four stage on Wednesday. However, despite the comfortable margin, the vctory was not without its share of talking points. While Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 75 off 37 balls set up India’s innings, the constant shuffling of the batting order—particularly Sanju Samson’s surprise demotion to No. 8—sparked debate among fans and experts.
Samson’s Slide Down the Order
The biggest talking point was Sanju Samson’s unusual batting position. Once Shubman Gill was named vice-captain and returned as opener, Samson traditionally a top-order batter was forced to adjust. In the previous Super Four clash against Pakistan, he was slotted at No. 5, where he looked out of place. Against Bangladesh, the management pushed him even further down to No. 8, a move that baffled many, especially since he was not used at all during the innings.
Varun Aaron Furious Over Constant Reshuffling of Sanju Samson’s Batting Position
Former India pacer Varun Aaron questioned the decision. “Axar ahead of Samson? I do not understand it,” he said. “The man got three T20I centuries last year. There’s not much difference in strike rates among India’s batters. Every batter in the top eight can go at a high strike rate. I don’t see any motive behind so much chopping and changing.”
Aaron offered a possible explanation, stating that the management might have wanted to give Shivam Dube more time in the middle against the spinners, which resulted in others being pushed down. But he also countered this reasoning, asking why Samson was not promoted to No. 3 if the idea was to counter spin, given his proven ability to attack spinners effectively.
A Pattern Emerging
Before the Asia Cup, Samson was frequently used as an opener in T20Is. In five games during the tournament, he has batted only once at No. 3 and has often been underutilized despite his track record. Against Bangladesh, even Axar Patel was sent ahead of Samson after the fall of the fifth wicket in the 15th over, a move that further confused fans and experts. Axar managed just 10* off 15 balls, raising more questions about the team’s strategy.
Abhishek’s Power Show, Others Struggle
Bangladesh won the toss and opted to bowl, putting India’s batting depth to the test. Opener Abhishek Sharma provided the early fireworks, smashing six fours and five sixes in a blazing 75-run knock. India were cruising at 72/0 in the powerplay and later reached 112/2 after 11 overs. But the momentum slowed dramatically in the death overs, with the team managing just 56 runs for the loss of four wickets in the last nine overs. Key batters Suryakumar Yadav (5), Shivam Dube (2), and Tilak Varma (5) all failed to make an impact, leaving India to settle for 168/6 despite a dream start.
India’s constant batting reshuffles may be a strategy to test different combinations before the Asia Cup final, but Samson’s repeated demotion is becoming hard to justify. With India already assured of a spot in the summit clash, the team management faces increasing scrutiny over whether experimentation is coming at the cost of stability and the confidence of key players like Sanju Samson.