Former India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has praised Sanju Samson for commanding unwavering support from fans despite a career marked by fluctuations. In a high-pressure, must-win clash against the West Indies, Samson rose to the occasion at Eden Gardens, delivering an innings that blended composure with authority. Opening the batting, he anchored the pursuit of a stiff 196-run target with remarkable control, finishing unbeaten on 97 off just 50 balls. His knock not only silenced critics but also powered India into the semi-finals, underlining his ability to respond when the stakes are highest.
Karthik called Samson one of Indian cricket’s most fascinating figures, saying his fan following rivals that of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and MS Dhoni. He noted that despite enduring intense expectations and repeated setbacks, Samson’s poise and resilience continue to endear him to supporters.
“Sanju Samson is a fantastic story, I feel. Yes, he played that wonderful innings. He is someone who has always been an enigma. People have loved him. He is, for me, the most loved cricketer. Virat, Rohit, Dhoni, he seems to have that kind of fan following. There is something about how he carries himself. What I’ve liked in that story is that he has seen plenty of ups and downs. The weight and burden of expectations has not been easy on him, even though he is so talented. That day, that ground, after the three months he had, they almost had to thrust him in, and he did what he did in Calcutta,” he said on Sky Sports Cricket.
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‘Trying to solve a problem by moving someone who is doing well’
The wicketkeeper-batter was not part of India’s initial Playing XI plans at the start of the T20 World Cup. However, after the left-heavy top order failed to deliver, the team management brought Samson into the mix during the clash against Zimbabwe.
Former England captain Nasser Hussain weighed in on India’s selection dilemma, pointing out the ripple effect a single change can have on a settled batting order while discussing the debate around change in India’s combination.
“I would have brought him (Samson) in. But then Ishan Kishan, who was the in-form batter, has to move down to number three, so you are trying to solve a problem by moving someone else who is doing well,” he stated.
