“A Player Who Belongs To Rohit Sharma’s Category”: Former India Batter On Sanju Samson | Cricket News

Former India batter Aakash Chopra was impressed with Sanju Samson’s performance in the second T20I against Ireland. Samson scored 77 runs off 42 balls as the Hardik Pandya-led Team India posted a massive total of 225/7 after opting to bat first. Samson replaced Ruturaj Gaikwad in India’s playing XI after the latter was ruled out of the game after picking up an injury while fielding in the first T20I. While analysing the second T20I, Chopra likened Samson’s batting style to that of Rohit Sharma.

“Sanju batted well. He scored 77 runs off 42 balls. The start was good, slowed down a little in the middle and then accelerated. When he (Samson) bats, he plays very well. That’s the thing with Sanju Samson – I have never seen him bat ugly. He is a player who belongs to Rohit Sharma’s category, who whenever he bats, plays extremely beautifully, scores runs in a free-flowing manner and controls the match very well,” Chopra said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.

Samson opened the innings for India, alongside Ishan Kishan, who failed to leave his mark and was dismissed on a score of 3.

Samson and Deepak Hooda then registered India’s highest-ever partnership in T20Is, stitching 176 runs off just 87 deliveries.

Hooda scored his maiden international century, finishing on 104 off 57 balls.

Their partnership was also the biggest one for the second wicket and the ninth-highest overall in men’s T20Is.

In reply, Ireland almost pulled off an incredible victory, but eventually fell short by four runs.

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Skipper Andy Balbrinie (60) and Paul Stirling (40) had given the hosts a flying start, before both were dismissed in quick succession.

Harry Tector (39) and George Dockrell (34) then provided some much-needed impetus to Ireland’s innings, before Mark Adair’s 12-ball 23 ball cameo pushed the hosts closer to the target.