Former captain Sourav Ganguly on Monday expressed surprise at the criticism directed at the daring keeper-batter in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup and supported Sanju Samson’s regular inclusion in India’s white-ball lineups.
In what was essentially a quarterfinal match against the West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday, Samson anchored India’s 196-run chase with an undefeated 97 off 50 balls, his first fifty in 13 innings.
“He’s a very good player. He should consistently play for India in white-ball cricket – 100 per cent. It was a virtual quarterfinal, and to be 97 not out shows his quality. He’s that sort of a player… when he gets in, he will hurt the opposition,” PTI quoted Ganguly as saying.
The innings took place on a day when Hardik Pandya, captain Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Abhishek Sharma, India’s most seasoned batters, all departed cheaply. However, Samson handled the pressure, strategically managed the chase, and played a risk-free game all the way to the finish.
“He played to the situation, and that was important. What it teaches all of us is that the same boy who, in the last six months, could not find his place in the team – whether it was Ishan Kishan opening or somebody else coming in.
“Just before the World Cup, I used to read headlines saying ‘Sanju fails again’, ‘he should not deserve a place’, ‘India has so much talent, why is Shubman Gill not in the side?’ – and yet here is a boy in a quarterfinal game, gets 97 not out and takes you to the semifinal,” Ganguly added.
In addition, Ganguly said that England will be a more formidable opponent than the West Indies and that the home team needs to continue playing clinically in order to get past the semi-final barrier in Mumbai.
In a high-scoring, do-or-die match at Eden Gardens on Sunday, India produced an almost flawless chase to defeat West Indies by five wickets, setting up a final-four clash against England at the Wankhede Stadium on Thursday.
“England will be a stronger opposition than the West Indies. They have to play just like they won yesterday,” Ganguly said.
The Harry Brook-led team peaked at the perfect moment, winning all three Super Eights games to top Group 2 and advance to the semifinals after a lackluster start to the season.
Sanju Samson’s return to form at the top of the order following a dismal New Zealand series in the lead-up to the T20 extravaganza has been India’s biggest positive.
