New Delhi. Sanju Samson’s fans were very excited when the T20 World Cup squad was announced in January. Taking a big decision, the selectors had dropped Shubman Gill and the path seemed almost clear for Samson. Ishan Kishan was selected as the backup wicketkeeper-opener. But just before the T20 World Cup, the series against New Zealand changed the picture.
In that series, Samson could not even cross the 30-run mark in five innings. He was out in single digits thrice, including a golden duck. After Tilak Verma’s injury, Ishan Kishan got a chance at number-3 and there was a change in the team combination. The result was that in the T20 World Cup, India kept Samson on the bench and started the innings with Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma.
Luck changed against West Indies
However, times changed. Captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir changed the team composition and gave Samson a chance in place of Rinku Singh. In the match being considered as ‘virtual quarter final’ against West Indies, Samson played an important role in India’s victory by scoring unbeaten 97 runs and gave a befitting reply to the critics.
Gambhir said- Sanju has special talent
After the match, Gautam Gambhir said, “Sanju is a world-class player. We just wanted to support him. When the team needed him most, he showed his true potential. Hopefully this will be a new beginning for him.”
Gambhir further said that Samson never hurried during the innings and scored runs with normal cricketing shots. “I haven’t seen him hit the ball with power, he has natural talent. When a player knows he is in control of the match, he is able to showcase his skills better.”
He also admitted that the New Zealand series was a difficult phase for Samson, but the team always had faith in his talent. “People look at the scorecard, but to come back into the team and play like 23-24 innings also boosts confidence. We knew what he was capable of,” Gambhir said.
This innings of Sanju Samson is not only the story of his comeback, but also shows how a player can prove himself when given a chance after a difficult period.
