Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra lavished praise on Sanju Samson after Chennai Super Kings registered a comprehensive 103-run win against Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, on Thursday.
Samson scored a magnum opus knock of 101 runs off just 54 balls to help his team post a par score of 207 runs on the board. The flamboyant batter scored 10 fours and six maximums in his knock as he scored his runs at a strike rate of 187.04.
MI, on the other hand, were bowled out for 104 runs as none of their batters could show much resistance.
“Chetta Super King, well done. He batted incredibly well. It’s his second century. In fact, no Chennai batter has scored more than two centuries. It’s his first season, he has played only seven games, and has already made two centuries. He remained unbeaten till the end in both centuries he has scored. So when Chetta plays, he starts as an opener and goes after finishing,” Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.
Chopra said Samson’s knock helped CSK in playing Akeal Hosein as an Impact Player. The left-arm orthodox spinner returned with impressive figures of 4-17 in his quota of four overs.
“He was the reason behind Akeal Hosein coming in. Akeal was absolutely gold dust, but if more wickets had fallen, and they were falling, you would have had to send your Impact Player. Had Sanju Samson gotten out, you would have had to send Prashant Veer, about whom the captain had said at the toss that they would bring him in. So Sanju had a hand even in Akeal’s wickets,” he added.
The renowned commentator also lauded Samson’s technique against Mumbai Indians as he batted at the top of his game.
“There was a clear method as to what he was doing. He was going deep inside the crease on every ball. My coach used to say that if you go too far back or forward, or pick the length wrong, you have made one mistake, then don’t make a second mistake. If you are standing back and the ball is absolutely full, don’t play a shot. Defend the ball, play it carefully. You will survive if you don’t make a second mistake,” he said.
The former Delhi cricketer noted that Samson didn’t play aggressively against the full-length deliveries.
“Similarly, if it was a short delivery and you committed on the front foot, don’t play a shot. Two mistakes are not allowed in batting. You can survive at times by making one mistake. I am not saying Sanju was making a mistake, but the plan was very clear, that he would go deep inside the crease, and would defend the ball with soft hands close to his body if you bowl full, and wouldn’t look for runs there,” Chopra observed.
Chennai Super Kings will next take on Gujarat Titans at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, on Sunday.
