A mature maiden ODI hundred by Sanju Samson and the wiliness of a young set of bowlers on a sticky pitch made quite an intoxicating brew in India’s 78-run win over South Africa at Indore on Thursday. Thus, India won the rubber 2-1, their second series win here since they came touring in 2018.
Sanju Samson’s own matured maiden ODI hundred and that young set of bowlers’ wiliness on sticky conditions brought out an explosive cocktail in India. Thus, India captured rubber 2 to lone. It was their second series victory on these shores since 2018.
The tourists were beleaguered by a fifty from Tony de Zorzi (81, 87 balls), and South Africa was eventually bowled out for 218 in 45.5 overs. Arshdeep Singh is a left-arm pacer who led Indian bowlers with four for 30.
But earlier, Samson had already found an ideal sidekick in Varma to position India on the offensive. India was asked to bat first, and when they wobbled a touch at 101 for three, Samson brought Varma on. With Samson’s brilliant ton, India scored 296 for the loss of eight wickets.
India wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson said on Monday that the last three or four months have been hard for him mentally but he got through it by working at himself and rebounded with his first ODI century.
The selectors chose to overlook Samson’s 55.7 (run average) with a strike rate of 104 in his thirteen innings, opting rather for the likes of Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav at India’s ODI World Cup team choice meeting held recently.
Sanju said after the 78-run win on Thursday that those last three or four months were hard for him mentally.
After undergoing all of that to get here, I think doing what I did today makes me feel really happy and grateful.
Also, Samson was not selected for the Asian Games either, giving some idea of just how low he is in their pecking order.
But on Thursday, he decided to do it himself and hit the first century of his ODI career in India’s successful effort to beat South Africa 2-1.
God has been good to me. If you’ve got genes that make for flying through the air, then at least when times get tough, home is waiting for you. I think there isn’t any other way of coming back and remaking yourself again in sports or however else; how much can we really work on ourselves and bounce?
Samson (who hit a 108), was promoted to the number three position and paired with Tilak Varma against India’s Shikhar Dhawan.
To tell you the truth, I was never even glancing at the scorecard. The boundaries, the ball and bat, scoring possibilities—I just do what I see.