Former South African legendary batsman AB de Villiers has expressed his admiration for Indian batter Sanju Samson. De Villiers has closely observed Sanju Samson‘s progress at the Rajasthan Royals over the past decade in the IPL and is delighted to see him feature in India’s T20I squad against Afghanistan.
Samson’s versatility as a batter, capable of batting anywhere in the top four, could be a valuable asset for India, especially with Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya sidelined due to injuries. Additionally, Samson could compete for the wicketkeeping spot alongside Jitesh Sharma, providing options to the team management.
Sanju Samson has been an incredible performer- AB de Villiers
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, AB de Villiers expressed his thoughts on Sanju Samson. Here’s what AB de Villiers said,
I have been a huge fan of Sanju Samson. I think he is a wonderful player. He has been an incredible performer for the Rajasthan Royals for many years. It is great to see him back in the squad (against Afghanistan),”
Sanju Samson most probably will get a chance during the Afghanistan series and the Kerala batsman will be looking to prove his point.
He will enjoy the South African wickets– AB de Villiers on Sanju Samson before India tour of SA
Prior to India’s tour to South Africa, AB de Villiers created a video on his YouTube channel where he previewed the squads announced for all three formats. Despite missing the 2023 World Cup, Sanju Samson was named in the ODI squad, and De Villiers expressed confidence that Samson would relish batting on the South African pitches.
In his statement, AB de Villiers had expressed his confidence in Sanju Samson’s ability to excel on South African pitches after being included in the ODI squad for India’s tour. De Villiers said,
“It’s great to see him in the team. He will enjoy the South African wickets. He stands tall when he bats. There’s a bit of bounce and movement and all the batters will be tested. But someone like Sanju, I think, will do well. And he also gives you an option with the gloves,”
AB de Villiers’ prediction proved accurate, as Sanju Samson went on to score his maiden hundred for India in the third and final ODI at Paarl during the tour of South Africa. Samson’s impressive performance adds to his credentials, and he will be optimistic about making a significant impact in the upcoming T20I series against Afghanistan.