SAmson has been picked to India’s 15-man team as a wicketkeeper-batsman, alongside Delhi Capitals captain Rishabh Pant, who has also performed in the Indian Premier League since returning to cricket following a horrific automobile accident.
He hammered 86 off 46 balls on Tuesday, but it was in vain as the Capitals won by 20 runs at home.
Samson has been in top form, scoring 471 runs in 11 games, and Tuesday’s half-century was his fifth this season.
Sangakkara downplayed the Pant versus Samson discussion in the post-match press conference, but he made his decision obvious.
“It’s really up to Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma to decide how they see the combination,” Sangakkara told reporters.
“But he has made his case, so hopefully he’ll have a good run in the World Cup.”
Samson has been an unobtrusive captain for his squad, which has eight wins in 11 matches and is third in the batting rankings after Virat Kohli (542) and Ruturaj Gaikwad (541).
Pant, who has been praised for his glovework and hitting since returning from his December 2022 crash, is also one of the top ten batsmen with 413 runs in 12 matches.
“For Sanju, the most important aspect of this season has been having a lot of clarity about how he should bat,” said former Sri Lanka wicketkeeper-batsman Sangakkara.
“There are certain stages of the game that he seems to lose a bit of concentration, which we’ve addressed from past seasons,” he stated.
He’s shifted his perspective on the value of relaxation and recovery, rather than always working and being psychologically and physically exhausted.”
This is Samson’s first year on a World Cup squad, and Sangakkara describes him as a team player.
“He’s a special player and when he’s fresh and focused there’s nothing he can’t do,” Sangakkara added.
© AFP