Sanju Samson’s Comback had one final chance to extend his India career. At least he could show he was a solid backup and if he couldn’t cement his place. With most of India’s regulars taking a break due to a packed Test schedule, Samson got a chance to open the innings in the T20I series against Bangladesh. Head coach Gautam Gambhir was giving it the tryout for the fringe players who are staill wide and are keeping their options open for the T20 World Cup as well the Champions Trophy.
Samson, who is now 29, didn’t get off to the best of starts. On Saturday he came alive, scoring 29 and 10 in the first two matches and finishing with 29. Samson was on fire playing at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. In just 22 balls, he racked up a fifty before then smashing five consecutive sixes off Rishad Hossain. In only 40 balls, he reached a score of 100—second fastest by an Indian! It was his second international hundred and is also the first T20I hundred by an Indian wicketkeeper. Pretty amazing, right?
Samson hasn’t had an easy last 15 months. But his IPL numbers are strong and there have been struggles in international career. He was chosen as a reserve in the Asia Cup to be held in Sri Lanka in August 2023. Samson got dropped once KL Rahul recovered, but. He wasn’t even selected for the ODI World Cup or the T20I series that followed.
He was picked up for the Afghanistan series in January after scoring a century in the ODI series against South Africa in December. He however, got out for a duck in his only opportunity. He made it in spite of that to the T20 World Cup squad but wasn’t picked. He even hit a fifty in Zimbabwe in July, but back-to-back ducks in the Sri Lanka series took the shine off him.
But a text from their leadership team – captain Suryakumar Yadav, coach Gautam Gambhir and assistant coach Abhishek Nayar – revived the spirit of Samson. Three weeks before Bangladesh, they told him he would be opening. It let him breathe and he used it. Working on facing new ball bowlers, he went back to Rajasthan Royals academy. So that extra preparation made him feel more ready than he ever had.
Samson said ‘I’ve got Gambhir and Surya backing me through tough times,’ and he thanked them for it. He’d had a couple of ducks in Sri Lanka, and wondered if he’d see another bow again. Even then, they said, ‘We are going to back you no matter what.’ That support kept Samson focused to avoid selfish play.
Playing at that level it’s very easy to become lost, but for him it’s all about his team, his friends and his people, he said. They faced challenges but that’s why even after challenges, Samson remained determined to give his best for India.
Also Read: Ashwin Breaks Records in India’s Crushing Win Over Bangladesh
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