IPL 2019: Gautam Gambhir makes bold call on Sanju Samson after second century

Sanju Samson showed his mettle when he blasted his second century in the IPL. His 102 off 55 balls helped Rajasthan Royals reach 198/2 but Sunrisers Hyderabad, boosted by a magnificent 69 off 37 balls from David Warner and solid contributions from Jonny Bairstow and Vijay Shankar helped them achieve their highest successful chase in IPL history. However, looking at the contributions of Samson, former India opener Gautam Gambhir has made a bold call regarding the selection of the Indian cricket team for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019 which will be played in England. Taking to his Twitter handle, Gambhir said Samson should be included in the World Cup squad.

“I normally don’t like to talk about individuals in cricket. But seeing his skills I am glad to note that Sanju Samson is currently the best Wicketkeeper batsman in India. For me he should be batting number 4 in the World Cup,” Gambhir said.

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I normally don’t like to talk about individuals in cricket. But seeing his skills I am glad to note that Sanju Samson is currently the best Wicketkeeper batsman in India. For me he should be batting number 4 in the World Cup @BCCI @rajasthanroyals @IPL @StarSportsIndia

— Gautam Gambhir (@GautamGambhir) March 29, 2019

The No.4 spot in the Indian cricket team is currently up for grabs with Ambati Rayudu not performing consistently ever since the end of the New Zealand series. With two failures in the IPL so far, the pressure is on Rayudu to deliver. Virat Kohli, after the end of the Australia series, said the ICC Cricket World Cup squad was more or less settled with potentially only one spot up for grabs.

Warner heaped praise on Samson’s innings and said his partnership with Jonny Bairstow was the key in chasing 199. “A serious innings from Sanju and full credit to him. He came out and played really well. He allowed himself time and the wicket got better. Actually, I didn't think it was a 200 wicket. We have played on similar wickets where if you bowl that hard length it is tough to get under. He showed us how to go about it. Me and Jonny have partnered really well since Kolkata. There have been a few hiccups with him trying to get off the mark. I have been hogging the strike a little bit, but over the years I have been held back a little bit. We know this ground pretty well. We know the dimensions well. There has been a breeze from one side for the last two days but tonight it wasn't there. You have to be calculative with your batting,” Warner said.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Sanju Samson slammed his second century in IPL 2019.
• Sunrisers Hyderabad achieved their highest successful chase in IPL.
• Rajasthan Royals suffered their second straight loss in IPL 2019.