Over the past five years, Sanju Samson has consistently started his Indian Premier League (IPL) campaigns impressively by scoring half-centuries in Rajasthan Royals’ opening matches. Notably, he scored a quick 74 off 32 balls against Chennai Super Kings in 2020, followed by a century against Punjab Kings in 2021, and 55 runs against Sunrisers Hyderabad in both 2022 and 2023. In the IPL 2024 season opener against Lucknow Super Giants, Samson showcased a stellar performance by scoring an unbeaten 82 runs, aiding his team in reaching a total of 193/4 in 20 overs and strengthening his case for T20 World Cup selection.
The competition for the wicketkeeper-batter position in India’s squad for the ICC T20 World Cup is intense, with five players vying for the spot. Leading the race is Jitesh Sharma, who has featured in six of India’s 11 T20I matches post the ODI World Cup 2023. The contenders include Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, and fringe options like Dhruv Jurel. With India’s head coach Rahul Dravid emphasizing the IPL as a talent pool for the selectors, Samson’s impressive knock of 82* runs off 52 balls positions him well for World Cup selection.
During his innings, Samson collaborated with Riyan Parag in a noteworthy 93-run partnership, where Parag contributed 43 runs off 29 balls after being promoted to the No. 4 spot. The aggressive display of batting by Samson against spinners garnered praise, with former cricketer Irfan Pathan commending his ability to play on the back foot against spin bowlers. Suresh Raina lauded Samson for his hitting prowess during the middle overs, noting the quality of his shots and timing, describing his performance as akin to shining like “pure gold” whenever he gets the chance to showcase his skills.
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