For reasons other than the standard IPL maths at the end of the season, Rohit Sharma would have been closely monitoring the action at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Tuesday. The two wicketkeepers picked by India were in an unspoken shoot-out for the first time since sorting through six possibilities for the next T20 World Cup.
For the most part, Sanju Samson was near the bottom of the pack less than eight weeks ago, primarily due to his dreadful track record of converting potential into on-field success at the international level. Possibly even worse than Dhruv Jurel, his partner from the Rajasthan Royals and the newest Test gloveman for India. India’s sustained support of Jitesh Sharma and Ishan Kishan, albeit in different ways, seemed to indicate that the two had become the front-runners to replace Rishabh Pant. Clearly, there were two conditions that needed to be met before the IPL 2024. First, after 451 days away from the game due to a near-death incident, what role would Pant play in when he returned to competitive cricket? Secondly, was KL Rahul prepared to give up his opener position and try out for the middle order?
After two weeks of the IPL, Pant was deemed fit to bat as a keeper-batter, and his steadily rising performance on the pitch soon restored his position as first choice. Jitesh pretended to be dishonest, while Rahul and an unpopular Kishan were thought to be unnecessary for India’s needs in their existing capacities. Samson thus outperformed everyone else.
However, Samson’s first World Cup call-up isn’t solely attributable to his impressive returns; it also comes after four years of being restricted to the second-string squad and nine years since his international debut. The Kerala wicketkeeper’s statistics are much more compelling and could even help him overtake Pant for a berth in India’s starting lineup.
Consistency has always been a problem for Samson in previous years. Samson would often get off to a great start every new season, but throughout the two months of the IPL, his performance would wane. But not only is he on the verge of surpassing his best finish from 2021 to make this his most successful year yet in the competition, he’s presently holding the third-place position in the Orange Cap race. Samson’s maturity has shown in both his leadership and batting roles; he has five half-centuries in 11 games thus far and a percentage of over 45% when converting starts into knocks of fifty or more. Since 2020, his average has significantly increased, and he has also increased his strike-rate to an astounding 163.54.
In the IPL since 2020, Samson
| Year | Matches | Not out | Runs | Best | Average | Strike-rate | 100s/50s | 4s/6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 11 | 4 | 471 | 86 | 67.29 | 163.54 | 0/5 | 44/23 |
| 2023 | 14 | 2 | 362 | 66* | 30.17 | 153.39 | 0/3 | 25/24 |
| 2022 | 17 | 1 | 458 | 55 | 28.63 | 146.79 | 0/2 | 43/26 |
| 2021 | 14 | 2 | 484 | 119 | 40.33 | 136.72 | 1/2 | 45/17 |
| 2020 | 14 | 1 | 375 | 85 | 28.84 | 158.89 | 0/3 | 21/26 |
With a total of 413 runs, Pant is barely among the top 10 scorers of the season. This is remarkable because, in all but two of his 11 appearances, he has batted at number four or below during his 12 innings of play. Samson, on the other hand, has entered the game to bat in PowerPlays.
Here’s where Samson has avoided Pant, though. The southpaw seemed a perfect fit in the middle order because of his big-hitting ability against spin, but in the IPL 2024, Pant has performed poorly against the slower blowers. His strike rate has fallen to roughly 115 against the ilk, and he has been bowled five times out of ten by legspinners, who have been a regular source of difficulty for him. In contrast, Samson has not yet lost a wicket in the 2024 Indian Premier League to a spinner.
Spin against. Samson & Pant in the 2024 IPL
| Player | Runs | Balls | Average | Strike-rate | Dismissals | 4s/6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S Samson | 156 | 107 | 156 | 145.79 | 0 | 11/6 |
| R Pant | 131 | 114 | 26.2 | 114.91 | 5 | 7/6 |
Additionally, Samson has adapted to the tempo skillfully on the backend. Indeed, there has been a discernible change in the RR captain’s batting strategy, which head coach Kumar Sangakkara subsequently acknowledged was an intentional effort, in his ability to maintain the intent after it was established. This year, Samson has made seven powerplays and has only been disqualified three times. He has also increased the stakes for his squad, as shown by his steadily rising strike rates over the course of the three phases.
Samson this season in three different game phases
| Phase | Runs | Balls | Average | Strike-rate | Dismissals | 4s/6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PowerPlay (1-6) | 121 | 81 | 30.25 | 149.38 | 4 | 19/4 |
| Middle overs (7-15) | 246 | 154 | 123 | 159.74 | 2 | 18/12 |
| Death Overs (16-20) | 104 | 53 | 104 | 196.23 | 1 | 7/7 |
The question about which player is better, Pant or Samson, was tactfully sidestepped by Sangakkara, head coach of RR and director of cricket. However, he did share some insight into what has clicked for his team’s skipper this season in particular.
“The most significant aspect of this season for him is that he is very clear about how he should bat,” stated Sangakkara, the Royals’ fourth-year manager. He appears to lose a little bit of focus during specific game phases, as we’ve discussed in previous seasons. He has truly embraced it. Not only as a captain but also when he swings as a batter, he truly embraces his job. He’s kind of changed his perspective on the value of recuperation and rest as opposed to constantly training and becoming physically and psychologically exhausted. He is so thoroughly loving that.
“The remainder is just his extraordinary talent. He is a highly unique talent who is truly capable of anything when he is focused and at peak performance. I believe he possesses extraordinary qualities. He is a really grounded, modest man. Little use of social media because he values his privacy. He truly has the group’s best interests at heart. Therefore, in addition to his talent and expertise, those are excellent attributes to possess. Therefore, I believe he would excel in that group heading into the World Cup.
“He’s just incredibly skilled, to reiterate. He doesn’t mind turning or moving at a fast rate. It just comes down to concentrating, having faith in the areas where he excels, and genuinely pursuing the goal. Making sure a nice ball goes for one or two is just as important as hitting sixes and fours. Once more, though, he is capable of playing any shot in the book. He has a lot of ability to cross boundaries. He’s just so talented against spin, the former Sri Lankan captain continued.
IPL 2024: Samson vs pace and spin
| Vs | Runs | Balls | Average | Strike-rate | Dismissals | 4s/6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pace | 315 | 181 | 45 | 174.03 | 7 | 33/17 |
| Spin | 156 | 107 | 156 | 145.79 | 0 | 11/6 |
Nevertheless, it won’t be quite as simple until India plays very unconventionally throughout the World Cup. Because of his left-handedness and lower middle-order position, Pant benefits from India’s embarrassing wealth at the top order, where Samson is positioned. However, Samson will board the plane to the US with the knowledge that he has done everything within his power to intensify his pressure on Pant.
(With data provided by Roshan Gede)
