No Sanju Samson in India vs UAE? BCCI drops cryptic video ahead of Asia Cup 2025 match

An otherwise-innocent video by BCCI ahead of the India vs UAE cricket match in the Asia Cup 2025 turned cryptic. The video is a warm-up ahead of India’s first match in the tournament.

“Before we take on the World again, let’s conquer Asia. India’s campaign starts today and we are absolutely ready to defend our crown,” BCCI wrote while sharing a video of Indian cricketers practising ahead of the match.

However, the video ends with Sanju Samson sitting quietly on a bench, looking reflective. The clip triggered debate about his place in the playing XI, especially with Shubman Gill returning as T20I vice-captain.

Gill, a consistent IPL opener, is expected to reclaim his slot. This makes Samson’s position a little tougher. He may be pushed lower in the order. Or, he may be dropped from the playing XI.

“Who noticed ‘sanju on bench’ in last shot?” asked one fan.

“The background music & that Sanju shot in last 2 seconds,” posted another.

Another fan commented, “Last shot indicates Sanju was benched. Better divide two teams south india and north india.”

“Video ke last mein Sanju Samson baitha hai. Iska kya matlab hai (Sanju Samson is sitting at the end of the video. What does it mean?),” one fan asked Grok.

“Bro, showing Sanju Samson sitting at the end of the video might be a hint that he will stay on the bench as a reserve, not in the playing XI. He is in the Asia Cup 2025 squad, but Rishabh Pant or KL Rahul could be preferred. Fingers crossed for his chance!” the AI assistant replied.

Major predictions drop Sanju Samson

Meanwhile, multiple major predictions and reports indicate that Shubman Gill will replace Samson as the opener.

Former India spinner R Ashwin has left Sanju Samson out of his predicted XI for India’s Asia Cup 2025 opener against the UAE in Dubai. Instead, he backed Shubman Gill to open and even tipped him as the tournament’s top run-scorer.

According to Ashwin, Samson has not yet been tested as a finisher for India. For the middle order, he suggested wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma should play at number five.

Former Indian cricket captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth has also opted to drop Sanju Samson in his predicted XI.

According to NDTV Sports, Sanju Samson is unlikely to play , since he mainly plays in the top order. It also picks Jitesh Sharma as the wicket-keeping option.

While the decision may feel unfair to Sanju Samson, the inclusion of Shubman Gill as vice-captain makes it almost certain that the Kerala cricketer will be dropped from the playing XI, according to News18.

According to FirstPost, Gill is “highly likely” to open alongside Abhishek Sharma. Sanju Samson was among the last players to practise in the nets sessions, the publication noted.