With the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli deciding to hang their boots in T20 internationals, a big opportunity opens up for someone like Sanju Samson who has been in and out of the team for years. In the 3rd T20I against Bangladesh, Samson showed his true colours as he slammed a century while opening the batting, sending a bold message of the true potential he holds. However, after the first two matches of the series, Samson couldn’t even make eye contact with head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Samson registered scores of 29 and 10 in the first two T20Is against Bangladesh, leaving many disappointed about the squandered opportunities. However, the wicket-keeper batter truly made his selection count in the third. In an interview, however, Samson revealed that he was hesitant to even make eye contact with Gambhir after failing to score big runs in the first two matches.

“I agree that the relationship between a coach and a player is very important. The coach trusts in your ability and you want to repay that trust by performing well for your team. In Hyderabad, I was determined and desperately wanted to show Gauti bhai that if you are backing me and giving me the chances, I won’t disappoint you,” Samson told journalist Vimal Kumar in an interview.

“In the Bangladesh T20I series, I didn’t score big in the first couple of matches and I was a bit hesitant to make eye contact with him but I told myself that apna time aayega (my time will come). So when I got that hundred in Hyderabad and the coach was clapping, I was delighted,” he added.

Samson also spoke fondly of India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav who took over the team’s leadership responsibility from Rohit Sharma. 

“I don’t know how many people are aware of this but me and Surya go a long way since we have played a lot of junior cricket together. In fact, both of us also play for BPCL and we have spent a lot of time together discussing cricket,” he said.

Indian pacer Mayank Yadav enthralled cricket lovers as he made his T20I debut against Bangladesh in Gwalior on Sunday. After Mayank’s potential breakout season in the Indian Premier League was lost to injury, the 22-year-old stepped onto the crease in India colours for the first time. He was handed the debut cap by former India spinner Murali Kartik, who is working in the series as a commentator. Kartik, however, later highlighted India head coach Gautam Gambhir’s brilliant gesture, in asking him to be the one handing Mayank his debut T20I cap.

“What a memorable day for this Speed Merchant #MayankYadav ..it took me back 25 yrs when I received my cap from Sachin& Kapil paaji… A touching moment for me personally to be asked to present the cap by @GautamGambhir …a wonderful gesture,” Kartik posted on X (formerly Twitter).

What a memorable day for this Speed Merchant #MayankYadav ..it took me back 25 yrs when i received my cap from Sachin& Kapil paaji… A touching moment for me personally to be asked to present the cap by @GautamGambhir …a wonderful gesture pic.twitter.com/dqwONnPPzA

— Kartik Murali (@kartikmurali) October 7, 2024

India’s T20I captain Suryakumar handed the ball to the young tearaway in the final over of the powerplay. Mayank set his eyes on the opportunity to blow Bangladesh away and delivered a maiden over with his sheer pace and precision.

As Towhid Hridoy failed to garner a single run in the youngster’s over, Mayank became just the third Indian cricketer to bowl a maiden in his first over in the T20I format.

Mayank made waves in his debut with his pace and added a wicket to his name while giving away 21 runs in his four-over spell at an economy of 5.20. As he sent thunderbolts down with his pace, Bangladesh’s experienced all-rounder Mahmudullah became his first T20I victim. After warming himself up in his first over, Mayank brought heat to Gwalior with a scorching 146.1kph delivery.

The pace itself was enough to confuse the experienced star. He danced around the crease, tried to slice the ball and lofted it straight into the hands of Washington Sundar at deep point.

Mayank added to an all-rounder performance from the Indian side and helped the hosts seal a 7-wicket win in the series opener. Bangladesh folded on 127, and India breezed past Bangladesh to chase down the total with a handful of overs to spare.

With ANI inputs

Suryakumar Yadav, the man who always has a smile on his face, has quickly proved his brilliant leadership credentials. Since taking over the Indian team’s captaincy from Rohit Sharma, Surya has done wonders while ensuring a new brand of cricket. As India wrapped up a 3-0 series win against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, Surya showed his humane side to everyone with a brilliant gesture for retiring Bangladesh cricketer Mahmudullah. Right after Mahmudullah’s dismissal in the match, Surya went to the Bangladesh star, shook his hand and put an arm around his shoulder to congratulate him on his career.

The video of Suryakumar encouraging Mahmudullah after the latter’s final dismissal in T20I cricket left a big impression on fans.

Mayank Yadav gets his second wicket

Mahmudullah departs for 8 as Riyan Parag takes a composed catch in the deep

Live – https://t.co/ldfcwtHGSC#TeamIndia | #INDvBAN | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/cRlWTFLRVS

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 12, 2024

India secured a comprehensive victory against Bangladesh in the match, while notching up their highest-ever T20I score of 297/6. Suryakumar, speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, highlighted the need for batters to be versatile in the shortest format.

“I think we’ve achieved a lot as a team. They had said (they) wanted to have selfless cricketers and to be a selfless team, enjoying each others’ performances. That camaraderie is coming off. Gauti bhai said the same thing before the series that no one is bigger than the team, no matter if you are on 49 or 99, you have to hit the ball out of the field.”

“That’s what Sanju did today. We have to be flexible when it comes to batting and bowling. Bowlers who can have to chip in. Batters have to be flexible and their performances were commendable. Just maintain the good habits on the field. Just be the same,” said Suryakumar after the match ended.

Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson entered his name in the history books after he brutally thrashed Bangladesh in the 3rd T20I of the three-match series. Playing in Hyderabad on Saturday, Samson unleashed his fury on Bangladesh bowlers and hammered 111 runs off just 47 balls. India posted a whopping total of 297/6 in 20 overs. Later, the hosts restricted Bangladesh to 164/7 and swept away the series 3-0. With a century in 40 balls, Samson became the second-fastest Indian centurion in T20Is after Rohit Sharma (35 balls). 

Apart from this, Samson also registered a big feat. While reaching his historic ton, he brought up his half-century in just 22 balls. With this, he registered the fastest T20I fifty by an Indian batter against Bangladesh. 

Rohit is second on the list as he took 23 balls to score his half-century against Bangladesh in a T20I match in 2019. 

Samson also became the first Indian wicketkeeper-batter to score a T20I century. It was also his first t20I ton and could just help him solidify his spot in T20Is as a first-choice wicketkeeper-batter. In 33 T20Is and 29 innings, he has scored 594 runs at an average of 22.84, with a century and two fifties.

“The dressing room energy and the boys really have lots of happiness for me. I am very happy. They are happy that I did well. It can get frustrating knowing what you can do out there and the way I have been batting, I thought that could have done much better. Those thoughts keep coming in your head. With lot of experience and so many games I have played, I know how to deal with the pressure and failures,” said Samson during the post-match presentation. 

“I have failed a lot, so I know how to manage my mind accordingly. I keep telling myself I just need focus on the process, keep doing my training, keep believing in myself and one day it’ll come soon. Playing for the country, you come in with a lot of pressure. That pressure was there, I wanted to perform and I wanted to show what I am capable of,” he added. 

Making the most of his opportunity as an opener, Sanju Samson brought Diwali early to the Uppal Stadium in Hyderabad, notching up his maiden century in T20 internationals. Samson hit a whopping 8 sixes over the course of his stay in the crease, with 5 of them coming in a single over. While the entire cricketing fraternity went ga-ga over Samson’s 5 sixes feat, the shot that made the most waves on social media from him wasn’t from that over. In the 8th over of the innings, Samson produced a stunning power-hit over the cover region for a six, leaving commentators, including Ravi Shastri stunned.

Mustafizur Rahman bowled a back-of-length delivery outside off. Samson took one step back to put himself in the perfect position and then hit the ball over the cover region for a six, making it look effortless. Ravi Shastri’s stunned reaction to Samson’s hit can be heard in the video.

Sanju Samson on a roll!

A MAXIMUM over extra-cover off the back foot

Live – https://t.co/ldfcwtHGSC#TeamIndia | #INDvBAN | @IDFCFIRSTBank pic.twitter.com/ZXyetT2T1U

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 12, 2024

The shot even made Harsha Bhogle bow down to Samson’s skills on social media. “Did you just see Sanju Samson hit that 6 off the Fizz? Requires extraordinary skill to play it. Some player!,” he wrote on X.

Did you just see #SanjuSamson hit that 6 off the Fizz? Requires extraordinary skill to play it. Some player!

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) October 12, 2024

Samson hasn’t always managed to make his opportunities in T20Is count, resulting in his topsy-turvy career with the national team. The batter, however, has learned with experience and is ready to deliver better results for the Indian team.

“The dressing room energy and the boys are happy for me. It can get frustrating, I could have done much better. With lots of experience, I know how to deal with the pressure. Playing for the country, you come in with a lot of pressure. That pressure was there, I wanted to perform. I kept reminding myself that I should stick to my basics. In the last series I got two ducks. The team management backed me. I have been trying to do something like this (five sixes in an over), I was chasing that and it happened today.”

It was a surprise for many as Suryakumar Yadav beat Hardik Pandya to be named Team India’s T20I skipper after Rohit Sharma‘s retirement from the format. For many, Hardik was the natural successor to Rohit but the team management and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) selection committee preferred to hand Surya the responsibility. Many wondered if the situation would hurt the relationship between Hardik and Surya but the two have come along the path like brothers in arms. After the conclusion of India’s T20I series against Bangladesh, Hardik thanked Suryakumar and coach Gautam Gambhir for the freedom they have given to him, as well as the team.

Hardik was named the player of the series after India secured a 3-0 clean sweep against the Bangla Tigers. For the India all-rounder, the captain and the coach deserve a lot of credit for the win because of the leverage they’ve given to the players.

“The kind of freedom the skipper and the coach has given, that has been fantastic to the whole group. That is coming to all the players who are playing. At the end of the day, this sport, if you can enjoy, that’s the best way you can get maximum out of yourself. When the dressing room is enjoying, when everyone’s enjoying everyone’s success, you feel like doing more,” Hardik said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

Proud of this team and everything we’ve achieved this series! Credit to all the young players, who’ve stepped up when called up on. Fruits of all the hard work that we’ve put in. The future is bright pic.twitter.com/buRXFnzZY6

— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) October 12, 2024

Speaking of his own performance, Hardik said that he has been fitter and managed his workload well, which has contributed to his success on the field a lot.

“I think that has contributed a lot. Body has been fantastic, God has been kind to help me out. The process continues, nothing changes,” he asserted.

When asked about His best shot of the match, Hardik recalled the helicopter chip shot he hit over the cover region. “Over the covers when I just chipped it,” he concluded.