India wicket-keeper Sanju Samson’s redemption has got the cricket world talking since the weekend’s pulsating Super 8 contest against the West Indies in Kolkata. Chasing a 196-run total at the Eden Gardens, India were pressed onto the back foot and in danger of missing the semi-finals when Samson finally decided to end a decade’s backlog by playing the innings of his lifetime. He would later term it “one of the greatest days of my life”, admitting to phases of self-doubt that inconsistencies and poor form had played on him.
Samson’s prolonged rut had forced him out of the first-choice combination in the lead-up to the World Cup. But with India’s left-hand heavy top-order not firing, Samson was slotted in back to the top with Tilak Varma demoted to number five and Ishan Kishan to number three. Samson produced a fiery start against Zimbabwe but could not capitalise. But when the chips were dream, the Kerala batter finally played the knock of his life, powering his and India’s redemption to edge past the Windies and seal the semi-final berth.
Samson’s unhurried and unbeaten 97 has found immense support on social media, with fans and experts hailing the knock of immensely high standards. Samson belted 12 fours and four sixes and in essence played the longest-ever innings in a T20I by an Indian to steer the side home unruffled.
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Former India wicket-keeper heaped praise on Samson’s conduct and likened him to India legends among the players with the largest fan base in the country.
“Sanju Samson is a fantastic story, I feel. Yes, he played that wonderful innings. He is someone who has always been an enigma. People have loved him. He is, for me, the most loved cricketer.
“Virat [Kohli], Rohit [Sharma], [MS] Dhoni, he seems to have that kind of fan following. There is something about how he carries himself. What I’ve liked in that story is that he has seen plenty of ups and downs. The weight and burden of expectations has not been easy on him, even though he is so talented. That day, that ground, after the three months he had, they almost had to thrust him in, and he did what he did in Calcutta,” Karthik said on Sky Sports Cricket.
Karthik also labelled that he would have had Samson bat in the top order from the start of the tournament, despite his poor form, for the sake of match-ups. India’s heavy left-handedness has proved to be a weakling, with oppositions targetting the side with sharp spin early on.
“I would have gone for him purely for matchups. Off-spinners were really troubling India. They were constantly not getting those starts that they get. The pitches have been hard but they want to live up to the reputation and that did not work. Off-spinners troubled Abhishek. He did not have the conviction that he normally has. I feel that’s got to do with the fact that he got ill at the wrong time. I can look at him and feel like he lacks a bit of muscle,” he said.
