Former Indian all-rounder Irfan Pathan heaped praise on Sanju Samson after India’s four-wicket win against New Zealand at the Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Thursday. Pathan said Samson looks vulnerable against the outswingers, but the way he adjusts his bat to the ball is impressive.
New Zealand posted a par score of 225 runs on the board after Shreyas Iyer elected to field first. However, India was given a perfect start with Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson hitting the ground running.
Samson scored a blistering knock of 67 runs off 33 balls, including eight fours and four sixes. The Indian opener reached his 11th fifty off just 23 balls and added 93 runs off 35 balls with Abhishek Sharma to put India in a good position in the run chase.
Irfan Pathan said on his YouTube Channel, “He batted outstandingly (Sanju Samson). The way he started his innings was excellent. There is always pressure on him, but he absorbs that pressure really well. The way his bat closes makes you feel that he might get out to an outswinger. But the adjustments he makes are impressive. He knows he needs to play well on the leg side and straight down the ground. When he gets width, he looks to play down the ground. At times, his bat closes, which is why he gets out by outswingers.
“However, the adjustments he makes also teach you something. If you feel that a bowler can target a particular weakness in your technique but you continue to play in your scoring areas, it becomes much easier for you to score runs. At this stage of his career, Sanju Samson has learned to make those adjustments really well,” he added.
On the other hand, Abhishek Sharma scored a fine cameo of 29 runs off just 12 balls. However, Pathan highlighted that Sharma looked a bit scratchy at times when the ball moved away from him.
He concluded, “The big shots Abhishek Sharma played against the short ball were a major positive. However, we also need to remember that he looked a little scratchy at times against balls outside the off stump when they moved away from the stump line, particularly when they were outside his eyeline. He was struggling in those situations, so that is something he will need to work on going forward.”
The second T20I between India and New Zealand will be played at Hagley Oval, Christchurch, on Saturday.
