Sanju Samson and the roller-coaster ride

For the first time in his T20I career, Sanju Samson has been offered a long rope and he has shown us what we should expect every time he comes out to bat. Post the 2024 T20 World Cup, India have played T20I series against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and now South Africa. 

Interestingly, Samson has been part of the side in every T20I assignment since. He batted at number four and number three before taking the opening slot. But, before giving our verdict, let's take a look at how he performed in all these T20I assignments. 

Zimbabwe 

First, India toured Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series. He couldn’t find a place in the eleven in the first two games and came to bat in the 18th over of the innings in the third. He had no option but to go all guns blazing right from the word go. He remained unbeaten on 12 off 7 deliveries.

India didn’t need his services with the bat in the fourth game, while he ended the tour with a stunning half-century in the last match of the series, scoring 58 off 45.  

Samson didn't get enough chances but, overall, it was a decent outing with the bat from the Rajasthan Royals skipper. 

Sri Lanka 

India then traveled to Sri Lanka. Sanju rested in the first game but got an opportunity in the next one. He got out on a duck on the very first ball. Theekshana bowled a carrom ball that just kept drifting into him. Samson’s feet didn’t move even as he played the wrong line. There was a big gap between bat and pad and the ball crashed into the middle stump. 

Samson opened the innings in the next game. Wickramasinghe bowled one that shaped away from the right-hander. A leading edge flew to the man at deep point. Samson got out on a four-ball duck. Samson had the chance to showcase his mettle but failed.  

Bangladesh 

Up next, Bangladesh toured India for three T20Is and two Tests. Fortunately, Samson was given a long rope this time around as his name was there in the T20I squad. In addition to that, he opened in all three T20Is. 

In the first game, he started his innings with a sumptuous straight drive, and it was followed with five more stunning shots. Samson quickly reached 29 off 18, giving fans hope that it was, perhaps, his day. However, in his bid to score his sixth boundary, Samson was holed to deep mid-wicket. 

It was disappointing but after watching him play all these years, it’s quite normal to be disappointed more often. Watching Sanju Samson bat feels like he is effortlessly spreading butter on a bread. But then suddenly, he loses patience, throws away the knife, and smashes the butter onto the bread with his hand. Nevertheless, Sanju, once again, impressed the fans with two lovely boundaries on the off side to start off his innings in the next game- simply effortless. However, he perished soon (10 off 7). 

Social Media was buzzing as Samson was brutally trolled and it seemed like that could be his last T20I assignment. Despite low scores, the skipper Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir put faith in him as Samson opened the innings in the third game as well. This time around, Sanju wasn’t going to disappoint. He showcased the prime display of timing. 

The kind of timing Sanju Samson possesses, he doesn’t need the power to hit boundaries consistently. By no means I am saying, he doesn’t have that. When the situation demands, he would give himself some room and tonk the ball over the bowler’s head for a mighty six. 

He reached his half-century in 22 deliveries and celebrated it with pure delight. Boundaries continued to flow as Samson went on to smash his maiden T20I century off just 40 deliveries. He scored 111 off 47 balls, including 11 fours and eight sixes. Samson ensured that it wasn’t a one-time wonder as he backed it up with another sensational ton in his next T20I game.

South Africa 

In the ongoing T20I series against South Africa, Samson has opened in all three games played thus far. In the very first game, he took the South African bowlers on a leather hunt and smashed the second consecutive ton. He notched centuries in back-to-back innings. This is what he can do and this is why pundits speak so highly of him.

But there is a downside to this exact approach. In the next two games, Samson got out on consecutive ducks with Marco Jansen cleaning him up on both occasions. He played the wrong line on both occasions and got bowled. Sanju Samson has played 36 T20 internationals for India, now. After witnessing how he approaches T20 cricket, one shouldn’t expect him to be consistent.

His coaches have often said that he isn’t the kind of player who would score big runs in every game but will win you games, singlehandedly, on his day. Being a Sanju Samson fan is no less than a roller-coaster ride, where you keep experiencing the highs and lows every time he comes out to bat.