Sanju Samson’s start in yellow was hardly smooth: three single-digit scores, three defeats, plenty of online muttering about the wisdom of swapping out Ravindra Jadeja to get him. A fortnight later, the same supporters are talking up the move. Samson’s unbeaten 87 from 52 balls on Tuesday steered Chennai Super Kings past Delhi Capitals on an awkward surface and underlined a significant shift in both form and mood.
“He missed out the first couple of games, didn’t he? All of a sudden there was a massive panic that what has CSK done,” Aaron Finch told the TimeOut programme. “They’ve got Sanju Samson and he’s not performing. Two games in T20 is nothing… So, the fact that he’s batting on a different level is great to see.”
The raw numbers back Finch’s point. Since those initial failures, Samson has produced three scores above fifty in seven innings. Overall he now sits on 402 runs from ten knocks, averaging 57.42 and striking at 167.50. The consistency is new. At Rajasthan Royals he often flew out of the blocks, only to fade as April became May. This version of Samson is dragging matches his way deep into the season.
Deep Dasgupta, who has watched Samson since age-group cricket, sounded both relieved and impressed. “This is the version of Sanju Samson we’ve been wanting to see for quite a few years now,” he said. “So, every season you see couple of those innings and go ‘wow, what a player!’ but then would only end up being those couple of innings but now starting from the World Cup onwards, he’s been so consistent and [in] this season well, this is the only fifty he’s got. Every time he goes past fifty, he gets a hundred and he stays not out. Again, he stays not out on 87, brilliant innings. It just seemed like he was playing on a different surface.”
That last line felt apt on Tuesday. Most batters prodded and poked on a tacky Chepauk strip; Samson punched length balls over extra cover and swept the spinners with minimal fuss. He looked, in short, like the Player of the Tournament who helped India retain the T20 World Cup five months ago.
CSK remain sixth, yet only two points separate them from the sides placed second to fifth. With six league games to play and Samson visibly comfortable in his new surroundings, the equation is simple enough: if he keeps going, Chennai stay in the play-off argument. For a deal questioned loudly ten days ago, that would be quiet vindication.
