Asia Cup: On a day when you are confused, just go with Sanju, says Priyank Panchal

New Delhi, Sep 10 (IANS) On Wednesday evening, current T20 World Cup champions India will open their campaign in the 2025 Men’s T20 Asia Cup with a Group A fixture against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium.

As the team gears up for its first T20I outing after nearly seven months, captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir still have a few key decisions to make, especially around the batting order and playing eleven’s balance.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, former India A and Gujarat batter Priyank Panchal spoke on several selection dilemmas the side is facing, including the Sanju Samson conundrum, where Shubman Gill fits in, and the workload management of Jasprit Bumrah. Excerpts: -

Q. How do you look at India’s chances of going all the way in this Asia Cup?

A. This Asia Cup is important for all the players. Obviously, we have a balanced side, both in the batting and bowling departments, and also in terms of all-rounders. We have a very experienced side as compared to other teams.

So, we have an edge over all the teams involved in this Asia Cup, and there are a few players I am so excited to see in this team. I am really looking forward to seeing them perform and winning this cup. So, I am definitely banking on India winning this cup.

Q. There has been a lot of chatter about Sanju Samson’s place in the playing eleven. How do you look at this conundrum?

A. I think it all depends upon the wicket and, obviously, the requirement of the support staff and coaches. At the same time, Jitesh Sharma is someone who can hit sixes at will. Obviously, Sanju can also play, but Sanju is someone who can hit it in the top order, and Jitesh Sharma can be very useful for the bottom 5-7.

So, I think I will leave this to the coaches and, obviously, the captain because they are the ones who will decide. It all depends upon the wicket because there can be a turning track, or it depends on the wicket’s nature.

But I would say that it is better to go with Sanju as far as the first few matches are concerned. You never know, but I would say that on a day when you are confused, just go with Sanju.

Q. In UAE conditions, how crucial do you think it’s going to be to maintain a left-right batting combination?

A. I think nowadays it is important to have a left-right combination because, in any match, the game changes in a short span. So, it is important, but I would say that the batting depth that we have and, obviously, the all-rounders that we are having right now, I am not seeing much of a concern regarding the left-right combination.

It all depends upon how the game proceeds because sometimes what you say right now, that scenario is completely different when you are in the match. So, right now, I can say that the left-right combination should be maintained.

Like in a game where some of your players are really playing well, for example, right-handed batters playing well against left-arm orthodox spinners. So, going with your strength is important, but I would say that Gautam Gambhir has always maintained the left-right combination, so just backing your game plan is more important.

Q. What are your thoughts on Shubman Gill’s return to the T20I team, especially when talk is about him becoming an all-format captain in the future?

A. I don't want to talk about captaincy right now, but I would say that as a batter, he is someone who has changed the game in a big way. In T20 cricket, we have seen so many unorthodox players who play different kinds of shots and achieve success without having a very good technique.

One can be successful in T20 cricket, but with Shubman, it is completely different. He has really good technique and has been successful in Test cricket, ODI cricket, and, obviously, in the IPL. We have seen that with GT and their so many playoff matches. So, I think it is important for Shubman to rise on this occasion.

But I would say that Shubman is someone who will definitely score runs because he has that hunger and ability to counter any of the attacks that we might face during this Asia Cup. Coming back to captaincy, I would say only one thing - just focus on your game right now because captaincy is something that, if you keep on performing, it will come.

He is young and, obviously, he is someone who has been successful in England also. So, he has that experience, and he is getting more of it. It is important to get all those experiences, and I think even if captaincy comes, just take it with both hands.

Q. Jasprit Bumrah is also back in the T20I mix. How important is it to manage his workload, considering a similar approach was taken in England?

A. I think it is important to manage his workload because Jasprit Bumrah is a big bowler. You cannot compare him with other bowlers. If you look at his records, he has been playing for so many years. So, as a bowler, obviously, there are some changes in your body.

It is common sense that there are going to be changes in his body, and more than that, I would say that Jasprit Bumrah, as a bowler, we as a team really want him to play all the big matches now. So, there is a difference in saying he should play all the matches and he should play the main or big matches.

Now, we are at that stage where we have to identify where we want Jasprit Bumrah to play those big matches. For me, it is important that his workload should be managed because he is such a bowler that he can win big matches single-handedly. We have seen it in the past, and we can see this happening in the Asia Cup.

He is someone who can be a game changer, and if we talk about his bowling technique, he has a very unique bowling technique. Like the batters who have been playing for many years and know Jasprit really well, there is an edge for them that they have played him before. But there are a lot of players in the opponent team who don't know how he will bowl.

So, it takes a couple of hours to find out because his action and release points are like this. So, we have that advantage, and again, I will come back to that point on how to manage his workload. It is very important to manage his workload because he has taken on a lot of load in the last few years.

It is important for all of us to just be humble with him and his body because, after all, he is a fast bowler. We have seen in the past that many fast bowlers have suffered numerous injuries. Plus, in many important matches, he had to sit out or miss a series. So, it is important for us to manage his workload well.

--IANS

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