Sanju Samson showed why he has a fan base as big as the biggest players: Dinesh Karthik

Add as a preferred source on Google

Sanju Samson has received solid backing from Sanju Samson who scored match-winning 108 runs off 104 balls in the series-deciding third and final ODI at the Boland Park in Paarl on Thursday.

Samson, who came to bat at number three in the match, stitched a crucial 116-run partnership off 136 balls with Tilak Varma for the fourth wicket and propelled India to 296/8 in 50 overs. He was adjudged Man of the Match after his maiden hundred for India helped India win the match by 78 runs.

Dinesh Karthik has praised the maturity shown by Sanju Samson and reckoned that the innings from the Kerala batsman showed why the 29-year-old has as big a fan as the biggest players in the word.

"Sanju Samson has been in the Indian team for many years, not been part of many multi-nation tournaments. World speaks highly of him, he has the amount of supporters that biggest players have, the love and affection of a lot of people. And he showed today why he has that," Dinesh Karthik said on Cricbuzz.

"In a series decider, gets his opportunity at No. 3, which he is very comfortable with, comes in, takes on the pressure, stitches a 52-run partnership with KL Rahul, but it was after that, that was very, very good what he did. In the 19th over, when KL Rahul fell to Wiaan Mulder, Samson and Tilak Varma really soaked the pressure between 19–35 overs. They were not getting boundaries at that stage," Karthik explained Sanju Samson's knock.

"They stitched a 116-run partnership, and the last 60 runs came in the final 6-7 overs, when they started to hit boundaries. Samson made sure did not take too many risks as he knew he could make up for it later in the match. Sanju Samson, under pressure, showed why he is such a good player," Karthik further added.

Sanju Samson was not part of the T20I series against South Africa, but would be hoping to find a place in the three-match home T20I series against Afghanistan. Having failed to make a place in India's World Cup 2023 squad, Samson would now be eyeing for a spot in India's T20 World Cup 2024 squad. The showpiece ICC event will be held in June.