For Team India, the series also presents an opportunity to experiment with line-ups, particularly the opening pair—a spot long contested between Shubman Gill and Sanju Samson.
Gill confirmed to open with Abhishek
Ahead of the first T20I in Cuttack, captain Suryakumar Yadav addressed the opening dilemma in the pre-match press conference. He confirmed that Shubman Gill will open alongside Abhishek, while Samson remains a flexible option in the middle order.
“In terms of Sanju, yes, when he came into the circuit, he batted higher up the order. Now, other than the openers, I feel everyone has to be very flexible,” Yadav said. “Shubman had played before him in the Sri Lanka series, so he deserved to take that spot. Sanju was ready to bat at any number, which is great to see—batting from 3 to 6 anywhere.”
Yadav added that having versatile players like Samson and Jitesh Sharma strengthens the squad: “One can open, one can bat lower down the order. Both can handle multiple roles. It’s an asset to the team, and also a good headache to have.”
Samson’s opening prowess overlooked?
Samson has historically excelled as an opener in T20Is. Across 17 matches at the top, he scored 522 runs at a strike rate of 178, including three centuries, forming a destructive partnership with Abhishek. He has also performed well in South African conditions.
However, with Gill’s return to the T20I setup, Samson has been pushed down the order and even dropped from the keeping role, with Jitesh Sharma taking over. While his flexibility is appreciated, questions remain about whether his opening potential is being underutilized.
The T20I series against South Africa will test India’s combination strategies and give fans a glimpse of how the team balances experience, form, and flexibility heading into the World Cup.
