india opener Sanzhou Samson He thrust himself into the spotlight with an unbeaten 97 against West Indies in a virtual elimination match. His composure in a tense chase turned the tide of the match and provided India with a crucial boost ahead of their semi-final clash against England.The game also represented a dramatic turn in the Samson Championship. After losing his place in the starting line-up, he started on the bench and when he was recalled for the Windy’s game he made the most of the opportunity. In the chase of 190-plus, and under immense pressure, the right-hander silenced his critics with a composed and authoritative performance that could prove crucial to India’s campaign.former south africa captain Fife du Plessis A detailed tactical view of Samson’s game is provided, identifying potential chinks in his armour. Du Plessis, while acknowledging Samson’s strength in the mid-wicket area, said that high speed, especially short directional balls with speeds exceeding 140 kilometers per hour, could cause him problems.“It’s always been an area where you feel, with Sanju, you can attack him (with the short ball) and with great pace. He’s very strong in the abdominal area and the backswing there is really nice. But at 140-plus, if you do it well and high, you feel there’s a small window to attack him. That’s a weakness. So England have the evidence, so they’ll have the blueprint,” Du Plessis said on ESNCricinfo.The recent matches have followed a similar script for Samson, with quality short-pitch bowling testing him. This trend was repeated again in the Super 8 against Zimbabwe, with Blessings Muzarabani taking advantage of this weakness to eliminate him early.Expanding on his analysis, du Plessis stressed that Samson must now be prepared for a series of short deliveries, especially against a quick one like this Jofra Archer.“Sanju will know what’s going to happen next, so the question for him now is – how do I respond? What do I do when Archer goes against me? Am I attacking it or are there other bowlers out there that I can bat a little better at?” the former Proteas skipper added.
