“Sanju Samson’s only mantra is century or duck” – Aakash Chopra lauds opener’s hundred in IND vs SA 2024 4th T20I

Former Indian Test opener Aakash Chopra showered praise on Sanju Samson after he scored a fine hundred in the fourth T20I against South Africa at the Wanderers, Johannesburg on Friday, which the visitors won comprehensively by 135 runs.

After returning with two ducks in the last two games, Samson scored a majestic knock of 109 runs off 56 balls in the last game of the series. The flamboyant batter from Kerala scored six fours and nine sixes in his blistering knock.

The Indian opener added a gargantuan alliance of 210 runs with Tilak Varma to help the tourists post an above-par score of 283 runs on the board. Earlier in the opening game of the series, Samson had scored 107 runs off just 50 balls against the Proteas. 

Thus, he became the first Indian batter to score two back-to-back T20I centuries, and the same record was matched by Tilak Varma after he also scored twin hundreds in two successive matches.

“Sanju Samson’s only mantra is century or duck. He has struck three T20I centuries in the last five matches. Isn’t that absolutely incredible? He is batting at a different level. When he starts batting, he bats in such a way that you think ‘wow’,” Aakash Chopra said on his YouTube Channel.

“It is said that the air is slightly thin at the Wanderers ground since it’s at height, and that’s why a lot of sixes are hit. 434 runs were chased on this ground only in the Australia-South Africa match,” he observed.

On the other hand, Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson added 73 runs off just 36 balls for the opening alliance. Both the openers took the attack to the opposition from the get-go and adopted an aggressive approach.

“When Sanju started thrashing, he wasn’t alone. Abhishek Sharma was also there with him and both showed proper play in the powerplay. They showed that this new Indian team’s playing style is very unique. It is destructive,” he said.

“Sanju Samson waited a lot but once he decided to hit after the wait, he batted incredibly well. Abhishek Sharma is praiseworthy. He uses the long handle, grips the handle at the top, accesses the off-side areas over the top, and he too doesn’t get scared. Both batted amazingly well,” Chopra elaborated.

Abhishek Sharma scored a whirlwind knock of 36 runs off just 18 balls.