After several false dawns, the sun might be rising on Sanju Samson's international career
Over the past few years, not many Indian cricketers have polarized as much opinion as Sanju Samson. To some, he is the archetypal talented batter who didn’t quite have the temperament to succeed on the international stage. To others, he is a cricketer who didn’t quite get the string of chances that he deserved, and that India were, by omitting him, missing a trick.
Samson, if you were to be harsh, could be faulted for not rendering such discussions moot. On his day, he can be as breath-taking an Indian batter as any and can make top-class bowling attacks look very ordinary. But these moments of brilliance have usually been followed by instances of insipid batting – instances where he has either thrown his wicket away or just not utilized the vast potential at his disposal.
Thus, it is not unsurprising that there have been several false dawns in his career already. Part of it is because he has been touted for greatness since a young age. But it is largely due to him not stringing together performances and making a spot his own. That, though, could be about to change.
Sanju Samson has scored crucial runs for India lately
Statistically, Samson has not produced a season that has sent shockwaves throughout the cricketing fraternity. However, he has, whenever called upon, done whatever India have asked of him. And for a cricketer who has often been questioned about his game-awareness and tendency to not grasp the magnitude of situations, it is a notable improvement.
Two of his three most recent ODI innings have come in run-chases. The latest of those was at Harare against Zimbabwe on Saturday. The Men in Blue were only chasing 162 against a relatively second-string Zimbabwean bowling unit. But they still found themselves in a bit of bother, being reduced to 97/4.
Deepak Hooda and Samson were at the crease at that stage and had either of them been dismissed, India would have been nervously looking over their shoulder. As it turned out, the latter displayed excellent maturity to not just guide India to victory, but also tell everyone watching that this particular version of Samson was different.
It still had his signature strokes, mind you. He finished the game with a majestic maximum that you could’ve easily mistaken for a defensive push down to mid-on. There were a couple of stunning sixes off Sean Williams too, brazenly showing off his hitting range against left-arm spin. And, of course, there was a crunching punch through extra cover to remind everyone of his astronomical ability.
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But this essay, as mentioned earlier, was not about the strokes that Samson could execute. It was about the strokes that he didn’t play. This could sound ludicrous but for someone who has been criticised for his shot selection in the past, this could actually be the final piece in what had become a very puzzling jigsaw.
It is not the first time this has happened this year in ODI cricket either. Against the West Indies in the 2nd ODI of that series, India found themselves chasing 312. That match, quite rightly, is remembered as the Axar Patel game, considering he walloped 64* off 35 balls.
Just as vital, though, was Samson’s contribution. He came out to bat with India tottering at 79/3 and put on a crucial partnership with Shreyas Iyer. Again, it was not a display that his ardent fans will remember whenever talking about his best knocks. From an Indian perspective, however, it was enough.
Being enough, quite funnily, is a problem the wicket-keeper has faced throughout his career. There are times when you start to wonder how high his ceiling could be, especially after watching him dominate bowling attacks that ought not to be treated that way.
But there have also been occasions when you just hope that he understands being at his free-flowing best is not always required. He is so special that, even on days when he prioritises efficiency over extravagance, he could be what India need.
Two games, usually after an infamously stop-start career, might not be an adequate marker to judge if Samson has indeed turned a corner. After talking him up, he could still produce a string of low scores and face exclusion whenever India’s A-Listers return.
This time, though, it just feels different. The captaincy gig at Rajasthan Royals might have helped him. The acknowledgement that he can no longer just warrant a place in the side on pure talent could have been a factor too. Or, it could just be a simple case of him realising that he needs to do more for someone of his class and calibre.
Sanju Samson is adjudged Player of the Match for his match winning knock of 43* as India win by 5 wickets.
Scorecard - bit.ly/ZIMvIND-2NDODI #ZIMvIND https://t.co/Bv8znhTJSM
Either way, it gives out the sense that after several false dawns, the sun could possibly be rising on his international career. A considerable chunk of Indian fans have been down this road more than once. So, you kind of get why there is scepticism around this entire redemption arc. Yet, you also feel that if he doesn’t make this particular opportunity count, he may never reach the dizzy heights he seems capable of.
It could very well be last-chance saloon for Samson in that regard. And so far, it seems he has understood the gravity of the situation, and what requires to be done. It has not been extravagant. It has not been as stylish as things associated with him usually are. But it has been efficient, and for now, that could just be enough.