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"Bat Down The Order,": Sanju Samson's Coach Backs Wicketkeeper To Be Flexible For Asia Cup

Arnav Chopra

Sanju Samson with Coach Raiphi Gomez (Source: @arjaksaini7/X.com)Sanju Samson with Coach Raiphi Gomez (Source: @arjaksaini7/X.com)

With a few days left for the upcoming Asia Cup 2025, set to be played in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), India’s wicket-keeping batter, Sanju Samson, is preparing hard for the multinational event. The Kerala batter has been backed by his childhood coach and mentor, Raiphi Gomez, ahead of the marquee tournament.

Samson's Coach Thinks Samson Can Bat Anywhere In The Batting Order

With just a fortnight left before India begin their Asia Cup campaign against the hosts, UAE, on September 10th, one of the most stylish players in the Indian side, Sanju Samson, is gearing up for this tournament, which is going to be influential for his career. Meanwhile, rumours of Samson's trade in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with his side, the Rajasthan Royals (RR), are swirling.

Currently, Samson is plying his trade in the ongoing Kerala Cricket League (KCL) for the Kochi Blue Tigers, where he recently smacked a brilliant ton in Trivandrum.

His childhood coach, mentor, and also the current head coach of the Kochi Blue Tigers in the KCL, Raiphi Gomez (who was also a former Kerala Captain and Pondicherry player), backed Sanju Samson for his ability to bat anywhere in the batting lineup, while speaking to The Telegraph on the sidelines of the KCL.

Gomez believes that Samson’s flexibility is the key reason that he can bat anywhere down the order and change gears accordingly whenever required.

“Being a professional and internationally established player, Sanju is flexible enough to make the adjustments if he has to bat down the order. His flexibility is what guides him, and he is very confident about his abilities,” Raiphi Gomez said to The Telegraph.

The major point of contention in the Indian camp is for the opening slot, where three contenders, namely, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, and Samson, are all vying for the two prized spots, which now appear to be in favour of the former two.

As there is a higher likelihood that Samson will have to bat in the middle order if an opportunity arises for the Kerala batter. At the same time, there is also a chance that he might not be included in the initial playing 11.

All Outside Noise For Sanju And His Coach

Gomez, who was also a part of Kochi Tuskers Kerala, Pune Warriors, and Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, reveals that neither he nor Samson is under any pressure. Their sole focus is to ensure that Sanju continues to score runs with the bat whenever he gets the opportunity and to help India win games.

“Has Sanju said anything about being under pressure? No. So, it’s all outside noise, and we are not really concerned about what is being said outside. Our focus is on making sure Sanju keeps getting better with the bat. He is only concerned about the job he needs to do for India,” Samson's coach-cum-mentor concluded.

As for the Asia Cup, the eight-team event will be held from September 9th to 28th in the UAE, with Afghanistan facing Hong Kong in the opening clash in Abu Dhabi.