"Sanju Samson couldn't do it" - Parthiv Patel on the keeper-batter's underwhelming performance in 5th T20I vs WI
Parthiv Patel recently spoke about how India's wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson missed an opportunity to prove his mettle by scoring big runs under pressure in the fifth T20I against the West Indies on Sunday.
The former cricketer highlighted that players need to show character in such important matches. However, Samson failed to deliver. Speaking about the 28-year-old's knock in the deciding encounter, Patel told Cricbuzz:
"Once Tilak Varma got out and Sanju Samson came in, he took his time. I thought he was well settled and had a great opportunity today. These are the games where you need someone to stand up and give a worthy performance, which Sanju Samson couldn't do it."
Walking out to bat at No.5, Sanju Samson managed to score just 13 runs off nine balls. The right-handed batter had a forgettable series, finishing with 32 runs from three innings.
Parthiv Patel, however, lauded Suryakumar Yadav for his impressive batting exploits in the crucial encounter. The dynamic batter was the top performer with the bat for the Men in Blue, scoring 61 off 45.
"Suryakumar Yadav did what Suryakumar Yadav has been doing throughout the series. He has been Mr consistent in this format. It is very difficult in T20 format to be consistent and keep playing shots, but Suryakumar Yadav has been doing it time and again," Patel said.
Suryakumar's fine half-century helped India register a 165-run total after electing to bat first in the fifth T20I. However, West Indies chased down the total in 18 overs with eight wickets in hand to win the five-match affair 3-2.
"Showed a tremendous amount of maturity" - Parthiv Patel on Tilak Varma
Speaking in the same video, Parthiv Patel also reserved high praise for Tilak Varma. The 20-year-old left-handed batter showcased fantastic form and played with great aplomb in his debut series.
Patel pointed out how the youngster not only played attacking shots but also had a very mature approach throughout the series. He suggested that Varma's ability to chip in with a few overs with the ball could be a big benefit for India.
"He batted with great skills. He showed a lot of big-hitting skills, but in between that, he showed a tremendous amount of maturity," Parthiv Patel continued. "On top of everything, we've been talking about that we need someone who can give you a bit of bowling from the top five or six batters, and Tilak Varma did that."
"He bowled only two overs but got Nicholas Pooran out. So, that is something India can look forward to in the future," he added.
With 173 runs from five matches at an average of 57.67, Varma was the highest run-getter for India in the T20I series against the West Indies.