Finisher, anchor, accumulator: How Sanju Samson finally broke the World Cup door

In the past, despite his glowing stroke-making gifts, there could have been logical arguments lined up against him. Like his tendency to plateau as a series unfolds, like his proclivity to vanish in big games, like his proneness to squander starts. He was a fits-and-sparks cricketer, who was too easy for selectors to find a fault or two with, and discard. There were rough edges between the silk. He did not quite make his limited chances count either—377 runs in 22 T20I outings. But this time, though, all arguments would cease to exist.

This has been an IPL season wherein Sanju has emphatically upgraded his game, both as batsman and captain. He sits sixth on the IPL run-getters’ chart—385 runs at an average of 77 and strike rate of 161.08. Of those above him, only Phil Salt brags a better hitting rate than him (180). Only Salt (every 3.2 balls) has a better boundary-finding frequency than him in the list either. Both Rishabh Pant and he have fetched a boundary every 4.5 balls they had faced. Fellow competitor, KL Rahul, sat a rung beneath him (when the squad was announced) in the stats column, though his average (42), strike rate (144) and boundary-rate (5.4) are inferior to Sanju. In that sense, it was a no-contest, despite the vast experience and favourable track record of Rahul (72 games, 37 average, 139 strike rate) and his rich vein of form in Tests and ODIs. But the selectors went with recent form.

His influence, though, is beyond the numbers. He has prospered in all climes. He has been a finisher when chasing totals (the 71 not out versus LSG and 38 not out versus Mumbai Indians are timely exhibits); he has orchestrated final flourishes (82 not out against LSG, 68 not out versus Gujarat Titans) when setting a total; he has anchored chases (69 vs RCB). His knack and finesse in putting on various roles is grossly understated. And more layers of his game emerged this edition.

His unique selling point, though, is his six-hitting ability against spinners, a dimension of his game that he has diligently enhanced. From 2013 to 2019, his strike rate was a middling 122. In years since, he has elevated it to 155. Subsequently, his overall six-hitting count too had leapt. Since 2020, no batsman has struck as many maximums as Sanju in the league (110). On sluggish wickets of the Caribbean, a natural hitter like Sanju could prove invaluable.

IPL 2024 Orange Cap: Sanju Samson returned to the top five on Monday. (Sportzpics)

There has been a sense of purpose too, a desire to bend the script to his will, an urgency that if he cannot break into the team now perhaps it could remain shut forever. A clear mind and clearer decision making, allied with minor technical tweaks like a higher back-lift and a more pronounced front-foot stride.

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If recent form were a yard-stick, he could have arguably pipped Pant too, but even as a squad-player, he brings considerable depth and utility, a luxury most teams would grab with both hands. If any of the top three got injured, or if Yashasvi Jaiswal struggled for form, he could be a fit-to-size replacement. Not just as a wicket-keeper batsman, but as a pure batsman too. He could open, bat at No 3 (only Raina has more runs than him in IPL at this position), 4, 5 or even down the order. The selectors would have weighed in all these aspects and homed in on Sanju.

There were two other challengers—Jitesh Sharma and Dhruv Jurel. Both could bat down the order, but neither could open or bat at one drop, unless commissioned as a pinch-hitter. Jurel has impressed in Tests, but his T20 career has not quite taken off. In six innings, he has mustered only 102 runs. Jitesh’s case is baffling. He has done precious little this season—128 runs at 125.49 in nine innings, neither piling up runs nor quick cameos. Unlike Jurel, the 30-year-old is not too young a talent to be groomed for the future either. Though he had displaced Sanju last year as the backup of Ishan Kishan, Sanju was to race past him this season. In Sanju, they have a proven leader too, whose team sits top of the league table, having dropped just a game. Selectors tend to get swayed by results too.

The estrangement of Ishan too benefitted Sanju. The Mumbai Indians wicketkeeper had made the spot his own in the absence of Pant, but for alleged falling out with the team management and his own middling numbers this IPL (212 at 23.55). But more than the stars aligning for Sanju, he made his own luck. He finally barged open the selectors’ doors.