Sanju Samson became the first Indian to score back-to-back centuries in T20Is.
Sanju Samson is making headlines after scoring his second T20I century. The right-handed batter hit 107 runs in the first T20I against South Africa on Friday, marking his second straight century in T20s after scoring 111 runs against Bangladesh in October. With this, he became the first Indian to achieve this feat of scoring back-to-back centuries in T20Is.
Samson’s performance helped India win easily, and former South Africa captain AB de Villiers has praised the 29-year-old, saying he has taken his game to a higher level.
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De Villiers says Samson’s success is not just due to Gambhir’s influence
On his YouTube channel, the South African legend shared his views on Sanju Samson’s improved performance. While Samson credits Gautam Gambhir for part of his success as a T20I opener, AB de Villiers disagrees. He clarified that he meant no disrespect to the coaches but believes that Samson’s growth is due to his own maturity.
The former Proteas captain expressed his hope to see Samson play all formats and suggested that the coaching staff may not have played a significant role in his resurgence.
“Sanju has changed the gear and I hope the selectors are looking at him for all the formats of the game. He is an all-format player. Samson is a special player, who can achieve success in all conditions worldwide. I doubt that the coaching staff has any role in his brilliant batting,” AB de Villiers said.
“I don’t want to disrespect Gautam Gambhir, VVS Laxman, Morne Morke and Ryan ten Doeschate. I feel this guy has become more mature and has realised the importance of giving consistent performances,” he added.
Since his T20I debut in 2015, Samson had an inconsistent run at the highest level, often being dropped and recalled. However, under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav and coach Gautam Gambhir, he seems to be unlocking his true potential, benefiting from regular opportunities in the team.
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