Ahead of Asia Cup, ex-India cricketer Kris Srikkanth opined that team balance cannot be spoilt to accommodate Sanju Samson who "failed" in T20I series against England and in IPL 2025. He backed Abhishek Sharma and Tilak Varma, adding, "Tilak won you games at number three." "I don't agree on the point that Samson can play as a finisher," Srikkanth remarked.