‘He showed his true potential’: Gambhir praises Samson after Eden masterclass

New Delhi: India Head Coach Gautam Gambhir issued an exciting endorsement Sanzhou Samson After the batsman scored an unbeaten 97 to help India reach the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup, he said the knock allowed India to see the “real potential” that the team had always believed in.Push boundaries with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!Samson’s majestic 97* at the iconic Eden Gardens led India to a five-wicket win over West Indies in a high-pressure Super Eight clash, fulfilling their dream of defending the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title at home.“Sanju is a world-class player and we all know what a good player he is. It’s all about supporting him. And then when the team needs him the most, obviously today is a day where he can maybe show his true potential and hopefully that’s when he starts playing, maybe two more games,” Gambhir told reporters after the game.

Having come under intense scrutiny following a poor performance against New Zealand in the pre-tournament series and a tough series, Samson responded in the most emphatic way possible. Chasing 196, India faltered early on before the right-hander steadied the innings with calm authority and finished the chase with the bat.Gambhir was particularly impressed with the way he played the game.“Look, I actually don’t think he ever quickened the innings. It was just a very, very normal cricket shot and I never saw anything hitting the ball hard and that’s the talent he has. He bats the ball really well in the nets when you know you’re controlling the game and you know you’re feeling good, it’s about getting into the middle and showing the skills you have,” he said.Gambhir highlighted Samson’s composure with a good batting surface and a quick fielder, reaffirming his long-held belief. “I’ve always said he’s a world-class player, he’s a great talent, and hopefully he can start playing now and hopefully we’ll see more games like this at Sand State.”He also dismissed criticism of past results. “People will always look at his scores and stuff, but then to come back into the team and then play an innings like this… it must have given him a lot of confidence. Because obviously, the guy struggled in the series against New Zealand. But we always knew what kind of potential he had.”