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Sanju Samson
All praise for Sanju Samson's mental fortitude, former India head coach Ravi Shastri said the seasoned batter seems to have "come of age" in the ongoing T20 World Cup after realising the need for consistency and wiser shot selection. The opener smacked a 42-ball 89 against England in the semifinals to be the hero of India's seven-run win on Thursday here. Before that, his 50-ball 97 laid the foundation of the defending champions' five-wicket win over the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal. "I think (he is) finally realising and coming to terms with the fact that he needs to be more consistent. He's got to be wiser with his shot selection and he's got to back his strengths. The thing with Sanju is he's got every shot in the book, but lapses in concentration," Shastri said on 'The ICC Review'. "I think he's toughened up mentally and there's never anyone who's doubted his skill or talent ever since he made the side. What people have been disappointed is that the run of consistency .
Opener Sanju Samson on Thursday conceded that the thought of cementing his place in India's playing 11 for the T20 World Cup forced him to overreach in the preceding home T20I series against New Zealand, leading to a string of low-scores. Samson misfired against the Kiwis, as Ishan Kishan overtook him and opened with Abhishek Sharma initially in the ongoing T20 World Cup. But the Kerala batter brought back to break the sequence of left-handers in the eleven, and he rewarded the management with two half-centuries in a row, with the latest being a fluent match-winning 89 off only 42 balls against England here in the semifinals. "I think that was very challenging for me. I definitely wanted to come and do what I am trying to do now for the country, contribute and win games in the (T20) World Cup," Samson, who had also made an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies in the previous match, told reporters in the pre-match press meet. "But I think I was trying a bit too much in the New Zealan
Sanju Samson is relieved to have produced two superlative innings to carry India into the final of the T20 World Cup, but he is not done yet and aims to play another match-winning knock to help India win the trophy for a record third time. Samson, who had lost his spot in the Indian team due to lack of runs not long ago, has come back roaring with scores of 97 not out in a virtual knockout against the West Indies followed by 89 against England in the semifinal, especially when Abhishek Sharma is going through a lean patch. Samson said while he is grateful, his toil must help the defending champions India lift yet another title with a win over New Zealand in the summit clash on Sunday in Ahmedabad. "It feels really great or relieved that I have been actually, from (a) few years, trying to do something like this for my country," Samson told reporters after India beat England by seven runs in the second semifinal here Thursday night. "(I was) just waiting with lot of patience, lot of
Skipper Suryakumar Yadav on Sunday said opening batter Sanju Samson got the reward for his hard work with an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies, adding that India deserved to be in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup. India beat the West Indies by five wickets to set up a semifinal date with England, to be played at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on March 5. "Obviously it's a great feeling. It was like a quarterfinal game. The way the boys showed character, it was a great thing," Suryakumar told the broadcaster after the match. "I always say good things happen to good people who wait. It's all his hard work that he was doing when he wasn't playing and now he's got the fruit," he replied when asked about Samson's innings. "The way we played from the first game, I think we deserve to be there in Mumbai. But we won't think of it now. We will take the flight, get to Mumbai and see what to do. When there is no pressure, there is no pressure," he added. Suryakumar said India wanted to take t