“He could never be consistent” - Former India cricketer’s huge statement on Sanju Samson after 2025 Asia Cup squad announcement

Former India selector Devang Gandhi feels that Sanju Samson has been the architect of his own downfall due to his lack of consistency over the years. The wicket-keeper batter secured a place in the squad for the Asia Cup, but his place in the playing XI is under threat once again following Shubman Gill's return to the T20I setup.

Sanju Samson's international career has been a start-stop affair ever since his debut in 2015. In 10 years, he has mustered only 42 appearances, with 18 of them coming after 2024. Despite a staggering recent run as an opening batter in recent times, which includes three hundreds, he still averages only 25.32 in T20I cricket.

The Kerala wicket-keeper struggled to have a decent stretch of matches with impact in the IPL as well. He is known to start IPL campaigns off with a bang, only to trail off as the tournament progresses. During the times he tried to claw his way back into the first-team setup, the intense competition meant that there was always another candidate ahead of him in the pecking order.

Devang Gandhi outlined that Samson does not have age on his side compared to his competitors for the spot, like Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, and Yashasvi Jaiswal.

"You can't ignore the talent Samson has, but he is already close to 31. If he could not seal his place, it's because he could never be consistent, even in the IPL. There are obvious issues with him playing the heavy ball. He probably fell behind because he struggled to play the pace of England's bowling attack at home. But if he can show he is flexible enough, he can finaly seal his spot," Devang Gandhi told the Times of India.

Team India will kick-start their 2025 Asia Cup campaign with a clash against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on September 10.

Sanju Samson scored 51 runs in the home series against England in 2025

The wicket-keeper batter's impressive stint as an opener against Bangladesh and South Africa, ensured that he continued in the role for the home series against England at the start of the year. However, he endured a horrid series, scoring only 51 runs in five matches at an average of 10.20 and a strike rate of 118.60.

He was particularly troubled by Jofra Archer's pace and bounce in the series, and was dismissed by him in all of the first three matches. His woes against pace continued as he lost his wicket to Saqib Mahmood and Mark Wood to conclude the series.