Ahmedabad — The fortunes of batsman Sanju Samson are currently soaring. Since delivering an impressive performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup from the third Super-8 match through to the final, he has remained in the spotlight. Samson proved his credentials by scoring the highest number of runs in the final against New Zealand national cricket team.
However, the situation was quite different some time ago. Samson had struggled in a five-match T20 series against the same Kiwi side, which put his place in the World Cup squad under serious threat. Due to his inconsistent performances, captain Suryakumar Yadav was also reluctant to include him in the playing XI. In fact, when he was asked about giving Samson a place in the team, he responded with a question to the media, asking whether he should drop Abhishek Sharma or Tilak Varma to accommodate him.
Following Samson’s explosive performances, that particular interaction with Suryakumar is now going viral on social media. In the clip, when he was asked whether the playing XI would be changed to give Samson an opportunity, the captain replied by asking the reporters whom they believed should be replaced. He asked whether they wanted him to drop Abhishek or remove Tilak Varma in order to bring Samson into the side.
Eventually, Samson was brought into the team due to Abhishek’s poor form and to achieve a better right-left batting combination. He made full use of the opportunity, scoring half-centuries in all three matches. He remained unbeaten on 97 runs against West Indies cricket team in the Super-8 stage, followed by an 89-run knock against England cricket team in the semifinal. He then scored another 89 runs in the final. In all three matches, his innings played a crucial role in India’s victories.
Praising Samson’s comeback, Suryakumar said that the batsman is finally reaping the rewards of his hard work. He also noted that as captain, he sometimes has to make difficult decisions for the benefit of the team.
