IND vs SA: Sanjay Manjrekar believes team management ‘will not forget’ Sanju Samson’s maiden ODI century

Sanju Samson, despite having a stellar ODI record of 510 runs from 16 ODI at an average of 56.67, was overlooked for the recently concluded ODI World Cup in India. However, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar believes the ton against South Africa in the third ODI in Paarl on Thursday will keep the batter in good stead and selectors will not “forget it.”

“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, speaking on ESPNCricinfo.

More than the score, it was the way Samson approached the innings that showed the batters had grown leaps and bounds since he last played for India. Though being a seasoned player on the domestic circuit and captain of an IPL side, Samson’s international career could not reach the same standard despite making his debut eight years ago. “Sanju Samson, at this age, after so many years at the first class level, has come of age at the international level,” Manjrekar would say.

Unlike his previous ODI innings, where he came lower down the order, Samson on Thursday came to bat at number three and on a wicket, which was a bit slower. The Rajasthan Royals skipper applied himself well and shepherded the innings when the wickets fell from the other end.

There was a period in the innings when spinners Aiden Markram and Keshav Maharaj were operating in tandem and runs were hard to come by. However, Samson showed composure through the period and accelerated in the later overs of the innings when the situation demanded.

“I know this was an ODI series, but people will need to remember its result. 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,” Manjrekar added.

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