Sanju Samson IPL 2023: SRH vs RR – New ramp shot, renewed determination and continuous scoring — Sanju Samson has once again sent a reminder to the new selection body. A 31-ball 55 against Sunrisers Hyderabad may not tell much about Rajasthan Royals captain’s talent, but he has done everything that Rahul Dravid has asked for, except maybe bowling. Samson has batted in opening to No 6, as an anchor and a power-hitter. Yet, selectors have always found an excuse to keep him out. But fans have once again raised the question, “How can you keep him out?” after his exploits against SRH. Follow Indian Premier League LIVE Updates on InsideSport.IN.
With young players getting a lifeline, the diminishing stature of KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan, and Rishabh Pant’s accident, Sanju Samson has received a major boost in relaunching his India bid.
Selectors’ last excuse was that the Kerala superstar was not 100% fit. But after being ignored from the T20 series against New Zealand and ODI series against Australia, Samson has added one or two shots to his arsenal. He showed that with a ramp on a short ball of Umran Malik. But it’s his consistency that would define Sanju Samson 2.0.
Terrific fifty for Captain Sanju Samson, he smashed 50* runs from 28 balls including 2 fours and 4 Sixes against SRH. Brilliant fifty by RR Skipper Sanju! pic.twitter.com/FDGevaYRAe
— CricketMAN2 (@ImTanujSingh) April 2, 2023
While Samson has always started IPL on a bright note, IPL 2023 will be his defining tournament. It’s a make or break. BCCI has handed him a central contract, showing that he is in the plans, at least for T20s. But with a plethora of stars set to bid goodbye to cricket after ICC World Cup 2023, the year will be his.
On Sunday, he started the bid, pacing his innings brilliantly. Even the shot he was dismissed of wasn’t a bad one. It’s a shot the team needed at that moment. Abhishek Sharma did brilliantly to take the catch at the boundary line. But Samson made his intent clear, he means business this time.
You assholes keep ignoring him….he will keep knocking the fucking door time and again 💪
50* up for champ @IamSanjuSamson 🔥#SanjuSamson pic.twitter.com/OIshxGWZGQ
— Radoo (@Chandan_radoo) April 2, 2023
Samson’s first innings in an IPL opener:
- 74(32) vs CSK 2020
- 119(63) vs PBKS 2021
- 55(27) vs SRH 2022
- 50*(28) vs SRH 2022
Fifty for captain Sanju Samson 🔥
This has been some knock, he is changing the gear in his career, leading by example, 50* from 28 balls. pic.twitter.com/ahihs4Jk6V
— Pratham. (@76thHundredWhxn) April 2, 2023
When once talks about how inconsistent Samson is, one just needs to look at his stats in the last two years. In the last two years in IPL, Samson has scored 484 and 458 runs, respectively. In ODIs, he has scored 330 runs at 66.60 on average. In T20Is, he has scored 218 runs in 9 games at a 140.64 strike rate. That he never had a fixed position to bat, is one aspect of his T20I career that many miss out on.
It’s almost incredible how Sanju Samson begins every season with a strong performance. Looks so much more comfortable against spin and pace. Unfortunately, he isn’t getting as many chances as he deserves in both T20Is and ODIs. It’s high time.
— Anuj Nitin Prabhu (@APTalksCricket) April 2, 2023
Sanju Samson in last 2 years:
| Format | Matches | Innings | BF | Runs | Strike Rate | 50/100 |
| ODI | 11 | 10 | 315 | 330 | 104.76 | 2/0 |
| T20Is | 10 | 9 | 155 | 218 | 140.64 | 1/0 |
| IPL | 31 | 31 | 666 | 942 | 141.44 | 04-Jan |
Even former India coach Anil Kumble has backed Samson in Team India. How long will the selectors keep ignoring him?
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