"Defies any cricketing logic" - Former India cricketer slams Sanju Samson's demotion in IND vs BAN Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 match

Former India cricketer Dodda Ganesh criticised the management's decision to demote wicket-keeper Sanju Samson in the batting order during the Asia Cup 2025 Super 4 stage clash against Bangladesh at the Dubai International Stadium on Wednesday, September 24. The glovesman did not avail a chance to bat despite India losing five innings after being put into bat first.

It was established at the start of the tournament that Samson will have to feature in the middle-order following Shubman Gill's return to the T20I setup. The wicket-keeper batter did avail the opportunity to bat higher, at No.3, during the dead rubber group stage match against Oman, which expectedly ended up being a one-off, despite the fact that he recorded a fifty.

In the contest against Bangladesh, India shuffled their batting order to align themselves with the match situation and the match-ups. Shivam Dube was sent in at No.3, while Hardik Pandya was sent in ahead of Tilak Varma. After the fall of the fifth wicket in the 15th over, all-rounder Axar Patel walked in at No.7, leaving the Kerala batter stranded in the pavilion.

Dodda Ganesh posted on X, terming the decision as 'unacceptable'.

"Sanju Samson at no 8 defies any cricketing logic. It’s simply unacceptable," he wrote.

Team India finished with 168-6 in the first innings, slumping from a healthy position of 96-2 at the halfway mark. Opening batter Abhishek Sharma continued his fine run of form with a second consecutive fifty, while Hardik Pandya was the only other batter to breach the 30-run mark.

Sanju Samson has never batted below No.7 in T20I cricket

32 of Sanju Samson's 40 innings in T20I cricket have come while batting at No.4. The lowest he has ever come into bat in the format is at No.7, which was during his debut appearance against Zimbabwe in 2015. He scored 19 runs off 24 deliveries, before being bumped up the order.

The wicket-keeper has featured at No.8 once in the IPL, during the 2015 Indian Premier League (IPL) clash between Rajasthan Royals (RR) and the Kings XI Punjab (now renamed as Punjab Kings).