Sanju Samson finally got an international century for himself with a masterful 108 off 114 balls against South Africa in India’s second ODI at Paarl’s Boland Park. Samson pretty much anchored the Indian innings, coming in during the fifth over at No.3 and falling only in the 46th and the visitors won the match by 78 runs.
The century was seen as a testament to the talent that Samson possesses and what can happen if he gets to play at his preferred position. The Kerala wicketkeeper-batter has often had to make do with playing in the lower order in international cricket.
Former India batter Sanjay Manjrekar feels that while Samson still may not be too high on the pecking order for the 2024 T20 World Cup, this century makes him a contender for a place in India’s first-choice ODI squad in the future.
“Sanju Samson at this age after so many years at the first class level, has come of age at the international level. I know this was an ODI series, people will forget the result of the series. But the way he batted – came in the fourth over, got to his 100 in the 44th over. That is something people wanted to see from Sanju Samson and they saw it,” said Manjrekar on ESPNCricinfo.
‘The selectors won’t forget it’
Manjrekar feels that while memory of this series may get buried beneath all the other cricket that will happen in the future before a major ODI tournament comes around, the team management and the selectors won’t forget it. The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is the only next major 50-over competition coming up. “So, what that hundred, that innings and the way he played, has done is, the selectors and the team management will not forget it. And that is the reason Sanju Samson was in the squad against expectation. Whenever there is a need to pick up a 50-over side, Sanju Samson will be very close to the playing 11,” said Manjrekar.
