IPL 2021: Sanju Samson and Rahul Tewatia can be outstanding performers in International cricket – Kumar Sangakkara

Rajasthan Royals director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara believes Sanju Samson and Rahul Tewatia can be outstanding performers in International cricket for the Indian team.

Samson and Tewatia have impressed with their skills in the IPL and they can be consistent performers for the national team.

Samson has impressed with his flamboyant strokeplay and it is a treat to the eyes when he gets going. The right-hander has played some impeccable knocks in his IPL career and he makes batting look so easy. The talented batsman from Kerala has scored 2534 runs in 108 IPL matches at an average of 27.78 and a strike rate of 133.75.

Samson has also played seven T20I matches in which he has scored 83 runs at a paltry average of 11.86 and thus he has failed to grab his opportunity at the International level. Furthermore, the stylish batsman needs to be more consistent in the domestic circuit. Samson is leading Rajasthan Royals in the ongoing season and it will be interesting to note his tactics as a leader.

On the other hand, Rahul Tewatia hogged the limelight with his impressive game in IPL 2020. Tewatia helped RR in winning a match from an impossible position against Punjab Kings in the previous season and had grabbed the headlines after he smashed Sheldon Cottrell for five sixes in an over. The left-hander scored 255 runs in 14 IPL matches in the previous season at an impressive average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 139.34.

In fact, Tewatia was able to earn his national call-up for the T20I series against England but it was reported that he failed to clear the fitness test.

“Both Sanju and Rahul are capable of not just being (India) regulars, but great and outstanding performers on the international stage. They have an amazing ability, great cricketing sense, and both of them over the years have really progressed.

“Sanju has been a young batting superstar in the Indian scene for a long time, but the real key is to understand that there is a process to achieve that ambition and to take it to match by match. Each innings you play in the IPL, the focus should be on that. It is important that both Samson and Rahul have the trust of the team,” said Kumar Sangakkara.

RR have solid England players like Liam Livingstone, Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler but Sangakkara believes the team is not entirely dependent on the English players for their success.

Rajasthan Royals had finished the previous season as the wooden spooners as they could only win six matches out of the 14 games in the league stage. Rajasthan Royals will begin their IPL 2021 campaign against Punjab Kings at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai on 12th April. PBKS have posted 221 runs on the board against RR.