"Gautam Gambhir said long back that if Sanju Samson doesn't play for India, it's India's loss" - Aakash Chopra on opener's knock in IND-BAN 1st T20I
Aakash Chopra has lauded Sanju Samson for playing a classy knock in the first T20I between India and Bangladesh in Gwalior on Sunday, October 6. He recalled India's current head coach Gautam Gambhir's statement from the past about the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter deserving to play for the Men in Blue.
India bowled Bangladesh out for 127 after asking them to bat first. Samson then scored 29 runs off 19 deliveries as the hosts chased the target down with seven wickets and 49 deliveries to spare to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel 'Aakash Chopra,' he recalled Gambhir's huge praise for Samson.
"You need to talk about Sanju Samson. Abhishek Sharma was playing amazingly well until he was there but he got run out. But how well did Sanju play. Gautam Gambhir said long back that if Sanju Samson doesn't play for India, it's India's loss. He was made to open," he said (7:10).
The cricketer-turned-commentator appreciated Samson for scoring quickly while playing delightful shots.
"The silken touch was seen. He wasn't hitting the ball hard. It seemed like he didn't want to hurt the ball, and he was hitting one four after another. When everyone was hitting, he also hit but by caressing the ball. You were getting hit, you were bleeding but you were not feeling the pain," Chopra elaborated.
Samson struck six fours in his 29-run knock. He was the only Indian batter not to hit a six in Sunday's game.
"My only thing was that since he had reached here, he should go slightly further ahead" - Aakash Chopra on Sanju Samson
![Sanju Samson and Suryakumar Yadav added 40 runs for the second wicket. [P/C: BCCI]](https://statico.sportskeeda.com/editor/2024/10/4afeb-17282828391307-1920.jpg?w=500)
In the same video, Aakash Chopra wished Sanju Samson had prolonged his innings.
"He is good. He scored 29 runs. My only thing was that since he had reached here, he should go slightly further ahead. He should score a few more runs because, otherwise, they would drop him. He keeps moving in and out (of the side), and up and down (the batting order)," he reasoned (7:50).
While hoping Samson plays a big knock in the next two T20Is, the former India opener praised captain Suryakumar Yadav for playing an enterprising knock.
"At least, he got a good start, and I really hope that a big knock comes in Delhi or the last match in Hyderabad, so that you stay in everybody's thoughts. Suryakumar Yadav also said that the captain will play like this. It was a dominating performance. In fact, the ball he got out to wasn't a wicket-taking ball, he played a good shot as well, but just found a fielder in the deep," Chopra said.
Suryakumar smashed 29 runs off 14 deliveries with the help of two fours and three sixes. Hardik Pandya (39* off 16) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (16* off 15) took India over the line after Samson and Suryakumar's dismissals.