The Sanju Samson show brings joy to the fans of City of Joy

By K.R. Nayar
From Eden Gardens

Kolkata.  Sanju Samson’s match-winning unbeaten knock of 97, which carried India into the semifinal by overcoming the West Indies at the Eden Gardens, was a treat to the fans of this City of Joy. It was an innings played with immense maturity, and an announcement that he was not just a big hitter. Every stroke had timing, every defence had a purpose, and every run he scored revealed his command over the West Indies bowlers. He played that innings when Eden Gardens hummed with nervous energy following the fall of a few wickets, including that of his skipper, Suryakumar Yadav.

Sanju Samson thanks  the Almighty after his match winning knock. Photo: ICC

Samson made the ball obey his command

Though Samson had once, during an exclusive interview with this writer, while talking about the strength with which he hits sixes, had said: “I always remind myself of my name. Samson was considered the strongest man in the world (according to the Bible). I keep reminding myself of that, and that I am very strong and can hit sixes.” On Sunday at Eden Gardens, his knock was not built on brute force. Following the fall of quick wickets, and when the script of the match was leading towards a sad ending for his team,  he played that unhurried knock, exactly what was needed at that moment. He did not make the ball fly to the stands but got it to obey his commands from the bat.

Having reported many of his previous knocks, I found this innings to be different. He chose to place his shots and not use power. He refused to hit in the air, knowing well he was carrying the burden of his team’s batting on his shoulders. Playing the role of a brilliant finisher, in the process he erased all doubts on whether he could be considered a match-winner.

Why Samson thanked God

During the post-match press conference, when this writer asked India coach Gautam Gambhir about Samson’s match-winning innings, he said: “He is a world-class player; we all know how good a player Sanju is. It was all about backing him. And then, when the team needed him the most, obviously today was a day when he probably showed his true potential as well.” Although the question lingers as to why this ‘world-class player’ is not in the playing eleven most often, even when others are given chances despite a string of poor performances? While others walked through open doors, his door were not always open. No wonder, after his knock, he looked skywards and thanked God for finally choosing him as the man of the moment and the hero of the match.

Heartbreak for the West Indies team

For Indian fans, the West Indies are their second most favourite team. The reason being they play exciting and entertaining cricket. Their firepower and fearless approach are a treat to watch. On Sunday night, they walked away from this World Cup with heavy steps. They played bold cricket but just fell short. The Indian team is well aware that the West Indies are not just rivals; they are entertainers, mood-lifters, and reminders that cricket, at its heart, is still a game meant to be enjoyed.

K C Vijaya Kumar (right)  and Sourav Roy cut their birthday cakes. Photo by K.R. Nayar 

Birthday celebration after the press conference

Journalists from India were thrilled that Team India won the match and made it to the semi-finals. It was also special because the West Indies had never lost a T20 match at Eden Gardens. After the press conference, the BCCI media team organised a cake-cutting ceremony to celebrate the birthdays of two journalists. K.C. Vijaya Kumar, Sports Editor of The Hindu, and Sourav Roy of Ray Sports cut the cakes as the room echoed with cheerful renditions of “Happy Birthday.” In short, everything at Eden Gardens had a joyful ending on Sunday.