“Sanju Samson at No. 3”: Robin Uthappa picks India’s playing XI for the 3rd T20I against South Africa

Former India cricketer Robin Uthappa has proposed a tactical tweak to India’s playing XI ahead of the third T20I against South Africa, calling for a change that could reshape the middle order. With the five-match series delicately poised, Uthappa believes India can gain a decisive edge by promoting a star batter to No. 3 while keeping their opening combination intact. The third T20I is scheduled to be played at Dharamsala on Sunday, December 14.

Robin Uthappa advocates of including Sanju Samson in the playing XI

Speaking on Star Sports’ show Follow the Blues, Uthappa opined that India should look beyond continuity and instead focus on maximising batting impact. He suggested that Sanju Samson should replace Jitesh Sharma in the XI and bat at No. 3, a move that would push Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma one position down the order.

According to Uthappa, Samson’s ability to handle pace and spin alike makes him an ideal candidate to control the innings during the powerplay extension and early middle overs. He stressed that such a move could help India dictate terms rather than react to match situations.

Despite recommending a bold change in the middle order, Uthappa was clear about retaining the opening pair. He backed Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma to continue at the top, citing their complementary styles and potential to provide brisk starts.

“I would like to see Shubman and Abhishek Sharma opening the batting. Complete left field here, Sanju Samson at No. 3, Suryakumar Yadav at No. 4 and Tilak Varma at No. 5, and then so on and so forth,” said Uthappa.

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Depth and balance still intact in Uthappa’s XI

One of the major talking points around any reshuffle is whether it disrupts team balance. However, Uthappa dismissed those concerns, pointing out that India would still boast formidable depth in both batting and bowling.

With Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel to follow in the lower middle order, Uthappa believes India would effectively have eight genuine batting options. At the same time, the bowling attack remains strong with a mix of pace and spin, led by Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh, alongside Varun Chakaravarthy.

“You still have Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel. So your eight batters are sorted, and you have five bowlers. I would love to see that XI. I think that would be the ideal XI for India,” added Uthappa.

Robin Uthappa’s playing XI of Team India for the third T20I:

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Sanju Samson, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Varun Chakaravarthy, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah

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