Former Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh commended wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson for his exceptional game awareness during Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) impressive 103-run win over Mumbai Indians (MI). CSK posted a formidable 207/6, led by Samson’s brilliant 101 off 54 balls, supported by the middle-order contributions that boosted the team’s total. Despite some resistance from Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma, MI collapsed to 104 in 19 overs.
Harbhajan Singh highlighted Samson’s ability to understand the game, emphasizing his crucial role in pacing the innings effectively in various situations. Singh praised Samson for recognizing the significance of staying at the crease till the end, particularly with a young team surrounding him. The former spinner lauded Samson’s shift in approach after reaching his half-century, focusing on rotating the strike and ensuring his presence till the final overs, taking responsibility amid wickets falling at the other end.
Singh also lauded the performance of CSK’s spinners Akeal Hosein and Noor Ahmed, who collectively claimed six wickets, showcasing a proactive mindset to seek breakthroughs rather than adopting a defensive strategy. He appreciated the spinners’ ability to extract turn from the pitch, a rare sight in modern T20 cricket, and their effective utilization of the conditions to their advantage. Singh particularly highlighted Hosein’s exceptional bowling display, including a crucial dismissal of Suryakumar Yadav by exploiting his weakness against the sweep shot, considering it as impactful as Samson’s century in the match.
