‘Sanju Samson was your weak link’: Shoaib Akhtar questions India keeper’s selection in Asia Cup squad

Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has questioned India’s decision to include wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson in the Asia Cup 2025 squad. The 50-year-old called the Rajasthan Royals captain the “weak link” of the side and suggested that KL Rahul might have been a better choice.

Samson’s inclusion in India’s Asia Cup squad raised a lot of questions, especially with the return of Shubman Gill to the T20I side. Samson had been opening the innings for India before this tournament, but Gill’s comeback cast doubt on his spot in the playing XI.

There was even speculation that Samson might not make the starting lineup, with Gill opening and backup keeper Jitesh Sharma possibly asked to bat in the middle order. However, the Indian team management chose Samson as the first-choice keeper and pushed him down the order.

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Samson didn’t get much opportunity to bat in this Asia Cup, but when he finally got one in India’s 172-run chase against Pakistan on Sunday, he struggled and scored just 13 off 17 balls. He was bowled by Haris Rauf in the 17th over with India still short of their target.

Akhtar questions Samson’s place in Indian team

Speaking on Pakistan’s Game On Hai TV show, Akhtar said questioned the inclusion of Samson and suggested that KL Rahul would have been a better option for the middle order. He even called Samson the “weak link” of this Indian team.

“Imagine KL Rahul is not in this team. In place of Sanju Samson, KL Rahul would have played. He hits big shots, sticks to the right areas. So Sanju Samson was your weak link. The match went to the penultimate over because of that. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have gone so deep. If Abhishek had been there, maybe the match would have ended five overs earlier,” Akhtar said.

Samson did show some form in the final Group A match against Oman last week, scoring 56 off 45 balls. However, that innings also received some criticism for being slow, as it came against a much weaker team.

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Meanwhile, India are all set to play their second game of the Super 4 clash against Bangladesh on Wednesday, September 24. India are the table-toppers with two points and a net run-rate of 0.689. If India win against Bangladesh, they will seal a spot in the final with a match in hand.