3 months ago
2
Former skipper Sourav Ganguly connected Monday (March 2, 2026) backed Sanju Samson to diagnostic consistently successful India's white-ball squads and expressed astonishment astatine the disapproval astir the swashbuckling keeper-batter successful the run-up to the T20 World Cup.
Samson smashed an unbeaten 97 disconnected 50 balls— his archetypal 50 successful 13 innings— to anchor India's 196-run pursuit successful what was a virtual quarterfinal against the West Indies present connected Sunday (March 1, 2026).
Terming it an outstanding knock, Ganguly said: "He's a precise bully player. He should consistently play for India successful white-ball cricket— 100%.
"It was a virtual quarterfinal, and to beryllium 97 not retired shows his quality. He's that benignant of a player... erstwhile helium gets in, helium volition wounded the opposition."
The innings came connected a time erstwhile India's astir established batters— Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, skipper Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya— departed cheaply.
But Samson absorbed the pressure, paced the pursuit smartly, and batted till the extremity playing a risk-free game.
"He played to the situation, and that was important. What it teaches each of america is that the aforesaid lad who, successful the past six months, could not find his spot successful the squad - whether it was Ishan Kishan opening oregon idiosyncratic other coming in.
"Just earlier the World Cup, I utilized to work headlines saying 'Sanju fails again', 'he should not merit a place', 'India has truthful overmuch talent, wherefore is Shubman Gill not successful the side?' - and yet present is simply a lad successful a quarterfinal game, gets 97 not retired and takes you to the semifinal," Ganguly added.
England tougher than West Indies
Ganguly besides stated that England volition beryllium a tougher hostile than the West Indies, adding that the location squad indispensable support its objective signifier to transverse the semi-final hurdle successful Mumbai.
India produced a near-perfect pursuit to bushed West Indies by 5 wickets successful a high-scoring do-or-die contention astatine Eden Gardens connected Sunday, mounting up a last-four clash against England astatine the Wankhede Stadium connected Thursday (March 4, 2026).
"England volition beryllium a stronger absorption than the West Indies. They person to play conscionable similar they won yesterday," Ganguly said connected the sidelines of the CII West Bengal's Annual Meeting & Conference here.
After a rusty commencement to their campaign, the Harry Brook-led broadside peaked astatine the close time, winning each 3 Super Eights matches to apical Group 2 and participate the semifinals connected a precocious note.
For India, the biggest affirmative has been Sanju Samson's instrumentality to signifier astatine the apical of the bid aft a disappointing New Zealand bid successful the build-up to the T20 showpiece.
