Sanju Samson vs Jitesh Sharma: Two Strong Players, One Keeper Slot

With Asia Cup 2025 on the horizon, interest is heating up in the race for India’s keeper batter position. The selectors, headed by Ajit Agarkar, picked both Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma in the 15 member squad and the discussions about who will wear the gloves in the XI were alive.

Who does Aakash Chopra picks between Sanju Samson and Jitesh Sharma?

Aakash Chopra clearly suggests endorsing Sanju Samson and his explosive run of form. When batting in the top 3 in T20s, he averages 33 strikes at 140+ with over 6,000 runs and with three centuries in his last 12 matches making him an exceptional opening option. But evidence of his lower order stages is not nearly as impressive, with a strike rate of 126 and an average of 20 from 98 matches raise legitimate concerns about his ability to play in the middle. On the flipside, Jitesh Sharma has settled to be a specialized finisher. His performance for IPL 2025 (261 runs at a crazy strike rate of 176.35) had a heavy influence on RCB’s title winning campaign. Chopra’s when talking about batting at Nos. 4-7, believes Jitesh has a big advantage over Samson, with a strike rate of 166, and an average of 28 numbers which are impressive in prescriptive situations. 

Dinesh Karthik to pick whom?

Dinesh Karthik added that Jitesh improved by deliberately working hard on finishing matches, which has made him a more complete player, more of a tactical player in a tight spot. While there were some strong arguments for Jitesh, Kris Srikkanth questioned the rationale to have two keepers in a squad of 15, calling it a luxury, while other valuable spots in the squad may have gone to more all rounders or specialist batters. He put forward that Jitesh’s as a real possibility based on current form not bias. With Gill probably to open the order and not many chances to play both keepers, India’s decision on which keeper batter to select as part of their Asia Cup longer term strategy will be crucial and probably set them up for the T20 World Cup 2026.

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