Samson Samson scored 6-ball 5 in 1st T20I vs Sri Lanka.© Sportzpics
Sanju Samson was dismissed for a 6-ball 5 against Sri Lanka in the first T20I, squandering the opportunity to make a big impression with the bat.
- NDTV Sports Desk
- Updated: January 05, 2023 08:24 AM IST
One of the most popular players in the Indian cricket spectrum, Sanju Samson found himself with another opportunity to stake a claim for a regular spot in the T20I team. However, Samson let the opportunity slip by as he was dismissed for just 5 runs off 6 balls by Dhananjaya de Silva. Seeing Samson depart for cheap once again, Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar fumed on-air, expressing his disappointment seeing the wicket-keeper batter throw his wicket away, and not for the first time.
Samson is undoubtedly one of the big potential players in the Indian cricket team, especially in T20 cricket. But, the competition for spots in the team has seen his playing time bein limited. On occasions where Samson has earned the nods, he hasn’t consistently delivered. Against Sri Lanka, it was another of such occasion.
“And this time, it’s the leading edge going to short third man. He is such a fine player. Sanju Samson has so much of talent but his shot selection sometimes lets him down. And this is one more occasion where it has disappointed,” said former India cricketer Sunil Gavaskar while commentating during the first T20I at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.
Later in the match, even former India opener Gautam Gambhir suggested that Samson has to start grabbing the chances he is getting with both hands.
“We all talk about how much talent he has but he needs to capitalise on these chances,” he said during the Byju’s Cricket Live Show.
As for the match, India secured a 2-run win over Sri Lanka in the first T20I, thanks to a terrific performance from the bowling unit, especially Shivam Mavi who produced figures of 4 for 22 in his debut T20I.
With the bat, it was an unbeaten partnership of 68 runs between Deepak Hooda and Axar Patel that got India to a respectable score of 162 runs.
Source: NDTV-Cricket