Samson's stellar performance leads India to a comfortable victory in the first T20I

Sanju Samson's batting prowess in Mumbai was never in question, but the issue of consistency had plagued him. Despite his stellar performance in the final T20I against Bangladesh, where he scored a magnificent century, he had been struggling with a lean patch leading up to the series against South Africa.

There had been two consecutive ducks in the series in Sri Lanka followed by below-par scores in the first two games against Bangladesh. The fans naturally were not sure what to expect when Samson came out to open against South Afria in the first T20I of the series at Durban on Friday.

The Rajasthan Royals captain did not disappoint this time though. To the delight of his legion of fans, he simply took off following his stunning hundred at Hyderabad against Bangladesh. For a batter who made his T20I debut in 2015 (against Zimbabwe at Harare), he had taken a long time get his first hundred (October, 2024), but the second one just one innings later, making it back-to-back centuries for the Kerala player.

His 50-ball 107 was the standout innings for India as they reached 202/8 after being put in to bat first. In response, South Africa were bowled out for 141 in 17.5 overs with Varun Chakratvarthy (3/25) and Ravi Bishnoi (3/28) being especially impressive. With the Indian cricket fans still grappling with the Test rout, this kind of performance was needed to lift the pall of gloom in the fraternity and set the tone for the series.

Earlier, Samson took just 47 balls to reach the three-figure mark and make the fastest century by an Indian batter against South Africa. The South Africa bowlers came under heavy fire but Durban crowd wasn’t complaining, though.

They had come looking for the T20 entertainment and the runs were flowing from the blades of the Indian batters. Samson was the pied piper. Though the run-rate dropped after he fell in the 16th over with the score on 175, his early heroics ensured India put a healthy total on the board.

It was a dazzling display of six hitting – 10 in all in addition to seven fours. Samson raised India’s fifty off 5.3 overs with his third six, whacking Coetzee over mid-wicket. With his sixth six, he raised India’s 100 in 10.2 overs.

One beautiful stroke after another flowed from his blade, but if one was to pick the best then his six, the eighth of his innings, off Andile Simelane in the 13th over stood out. In the slot outside off, Samson gave himself room and then caressed it effortlessly over the wide long off fence while holding his pose.

To be fair to Samson, it hasn’t been an easy journey for him. But he is making up for lost time now. Since being named captain of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, his stature has grown, earning him a a more consistent run in the Indian team and that is showing in his performances now.

The chance to open the innings regularly since Suryakumar Yadav has taken over as captain also suits his game. It shows in the difference in his strike-rate -- 184.78 as an opener, while it is 126.92, 129.88 and 136.91 at No 3, 4 and 5.

Tough conditions

Hitting through the line on docile Indian pitches is one thing but hitting on the Durban pitch with a strong sea breeze blowing, is another. With rain in the air, the bowlers were expecting to just land the ball and let the conditions do the rest.

It is a tribute to the spirit of the Indian batters that they managed to put the bowlers under pressure. Abhishek Sharma fell early but with Samon launching a blistering assault, others also came out in a confident mood. Tilak Varma hit the fourth ball he faced for a massive six, converting Andile Simelane’s tight length by adjusting his body weight to flick it over the square-leg fence. At the end of 11 overs, India were 111/2 with Samson on 70 (38b). The two shared a partnership of 77 runs off 34 balls for the third wicket with Varma getting 33 (18).

Captain Aiden Markram introduced his leg-spinner in the eighth over but it proved to be against the wrong batter. Samson smashed him for two sixes to reach his fifty in 27 balls.

Samson took just 20 balls to go for 50 to a 100, raising his century in 47 balls with the team total reading 163/2 after 14.1 overs. The hundred was celebrated with another six which proved to be the last as next ball he was caught right on the fence off leg-spinner Nqabayomzi Peter.

The sheer brilliance of Samson’s play however had them rattled in the first T20 of the series.