India&rsquo;s batting coach Sitanshu Kotak has put to rest the ongoing discussion about Sanju Samson&rsquo;s batting slot, insisting that the wicketkeeper-batter is versatile enough to adapt to any position in the lineup.
Speaking to reporters on Friday ahead of India&rsquo;s Asia Cup group-stage clash against Pakistan, Kotak clarified that although Samson hasn&rsquo;t often featured at No. 5 or No. 6, he is more than capable of taking on the responsibility if required.
&ldquo;Sanju hasn&rsquo;t batted much at No. 5 or 6, but that doesn&rsquo;t mean he can&rsquo;t do it,&rdquo; Kotak said in Dubai. 
&ldquo;He has the ability to bat anywhere in the order. It&rsquo;s up to the captain and coach to decide, and he&rsquo;s happy to do whatever the team needs. Our batting unit is flexible&mdash;everyone can adapt to situations and finish games. In one match he may come at No. 5, in another at a completely different spot. Everyone is clear about their roles.&rdquo;
In India&rsquo;s opening match against the UAE, Samson was penciled in at No. 5, with Shubman Gill partnering Abhishek Sharma at the top. 
But with a modest chase of just 58, Samson didn&rsquo;t get to bat as Gill, Sharma, and Suryakumar Yadav wrapped up the game.
Samson&rsquo;s track record shows a stark contrast between roles&mdash;he has scored only 62 runs at an average of 20.62 when batting at No. 5, but his numbers as an opener are far superior, with 522 runs and three centuries to his name.
Still, with Gautam Gambhir at the helm as head coach, flexibility is expected to remain a hallmark of India&rsquo;s approach. 
Samson could just as easily be promoted to No. 3 in upcoming Asia Cup fixtures. 
In the UAE match, Suryakumar Yadav walked in at one-down after Sharma&rsquo;s dismissal for 30, while the inclusion of Tilak Varma in the XI adds another layer of intrigue to the batting order.

Batting coach Kotak says Sanju Samson is ready to bat at any position in Asia Cup lineup

Sanju Samson Can Bat Anywhere: Kotak Confirms

Batting coach Kotak says Sanju Samson is ready to bat at any position in Asia Cup lineup

September 13, 2025 | 10:31 IST