India's Top-4 Puzzle: Is Samson The Missing Piece?

In their quest to fine-tune their strategies for the high-stakes Asia Cup and ODI World Cup, the Indian cricket team has embarked on a phase of extensive experimentation.

Throughout the white-ball tour of the West Indies, the team has ingeniously shuffled their batting line-ups, often deploying players in unconventional positions.

Among the standout experiments, Axar Patel, Suryakumar Yadav and Sanju Samson have been pivotal figures under scrutiny, being tested in various roles.

India's seasoned spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has sought to shed light on these bold maneuvers, asserting that the team is actively exploring diverse tactical approaches during the ongoing series.

Ashwin explained that the team's intention is to groom Sanju Samson for a critical back-up role, serving as an alternative to the established duo of K L Rahul and Shreyas Iyer.

However, Ashwin has discerned that Samson's current status does not align with a top-four position in ODIs.

'Sanju Samson emerged as a beneficiary of these experiments. He demonstrated his mettle by notching a fifty during the ODI series and contributing to the T20I match with a modest 12 off 12 balls. He was entrusted with a middle-order position, whereas in the IPL, he often graces the batting order at positions three or four," Ashwin conveyed via his YouTube channel.

'Remarkably, Samson boasts an impressive ODI record, substantiated by a solid average and a noteworthy fifty in the third ODI of the series, underscoring his proficiency against spin bowling,' Ashwin added. Ashwin and Samson play for the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

'While acknowledging Sanju's potential to pivot the course of a game with his exceptional abilities, it's imperative to recognise the distinct role that Team India expects from him. Although we all hold high regard for his talent, Samson's role within Team India diverges,' Ashwin asserted.

'As it stands, the top three and four positions are firmly occupied. This is anchored by Virat Kohli at number 3 and Rohit Sharma, alongside Shubman Gill, as openers. In addition, Shreyas Iyer and K L Rahul are entrenched choices when they are available,' he added.

Ashwin outlined the need for a wicket-keeper-batsman to serve as backup, particularly for positions four and five, should Rahul or Shreyas Iyer be sidelined. However, he pointed out that Samson's role in the IPL contrasts with this specific requirement in the Indian team.

He highlighted that Samson's recent acclimatisation to this role in ODIs, leading to his fifty in the third ODI, presents a promising development for both Samson and Team India.

Looking forward, Ashwin projected that Samson could feature prominently in the team's contingency plan for the ODI World Cup, while also mentioning the ascending talent of Tilak Varma.

As the calendar inches closer to the ODI World Cup, commencing with India's clash against Australia on October 8, all eyes are trained on the evolving strategies and selections that will shape the team's pursuit of cricketing glory.