Gautam Gambhir's ramrod-straight take on Sanju Samson's redemption: ‘Nothing to do with me, it was all about…'
Gautam Gambhir refused to take credit for Sanju Samson's redemption and said it was just about giving him the right number.
Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir heaped praise on wicketkeeper batter Sanju Samson for his recent form in the shortest format as he refused to take credit for it. Samson recently slammed back-to-back centuries in T20Is to make a massive statement after the retirement of senior players Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. However, the credit for Samson's redemption should also go to captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir, who backed him despite his inconsistent show on the Zimbabwe tour and in the first two T20Is against Bangladesh.
Samson proved his worth with a 40-ball century against Bangladesh in the final T20I, and then he continued the same form on the South Africa tour with another brilliant ton.
Gambhir refused to take credit for Samson's redemption and said it was just about giving him the right number.
“Not at all; I think it’s nothing to do with me. I think it’s his ability. It was all about giving him the right number and backing him. I think ultimately it’s his hard work. What he is doing for Indian cricket is just the start; it’s not the end. Hopefully he can continue taking this form forward," Gambhir said about Samson during India’s pre-departure press conference in Mumbai.
In the first T20I against South Africa, Samson played a 107-run knock from 50 balls at a strike rate of 214.00 against the Proteas in Durban. He smashed seven fours and 10 sixes during his time at the crease. He stood tall when the other players kept losing wickets from the other end.
'Some of the young players are really coming through'
Meanwhile, Gambhir asserted that the recent performance of young players is a good sign for Indian cricket.
“For me, I think the good sign is that some of the young players are really coming through, which is always healthy and good for Indian cricket," he added.
Meanwhile, Tristan Stubbs scored a patient 47 not out off 41 balls as South Africa beat India by three wickets in the second Twenty20 on Sunday to level the four-match series 1-1.
India won the first T20 in Durban by 61 runs. The third game will be played in Centurion on Wednesday.
