Shashi Tharoor Praises Sanju Samson's Masterful T20I Innings in World Cup

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, representing Thiruvananthapuram in Lok Sabha, has expressed profound admiration for Kerala cricketer Sanju Samson following his standout performance in the T20 World Cup. Tharoor, who has followed Samson's career since the young batsman was just 14 years old, described the recent innings as a turning point, marking the emergence of Samson's true potential.

"I actually met Sanju the first time when he was 14 years old and he was playing for a club in Trivandrum and people on the net seemed impressed," Tharoor recalled. "I've really seen and followed his career from the very beginning and I remain hugely, hugely a fan of his."

Samson's unbeaten 97 in a crucial T20I match was the highlight of Tharoor's commentary. He praised the innings for its chanceless execution and extraordinary composure, noting a "remarkable stillness" that was evident from the first ball. Unlike previous knocks where tentativeness crept in due to inconsistent opportunities and positional changes in the batting order, this performance showcased a batsman who had overcome past setbacks.

"There was no sense of doubt, no risk-taking - it was a chanceless innings," Tharoor said. "You could sense a complete mental and physical stillness to the guy. He anchored in his core and played with a truly impressive confidence."

Tharoor highlighted Samson's elegant strokeplay, including sublime backfoot cover drives and precise square cuts, executed without any flamboyance or unnecessary risk. He compared the innings to Sunil Gavaskar's legendary 96 in his final Test match in 1987, emphasizing the shared qualities of intense concentration and composure under pressure.

"It would be a parallel with [Sunil] Gavaskar's phenomenal 90 odds (96) in what turned out to be his final Test match in Bangalore in 1987," Tharoor noted. "It was just an extraordinary sense that the man had marshalled every single inch and ounce of concentration available to him."

Despite falling short of a century by three runs, Tharoor ranked this knock among Samson's finest and one of the best T20I innings by an Indian player. He appreciated how Samson adhered to T20 requirements—scoring efficiently with minimal dot balls—while maintaining a style adaptable to any format.

"The rest of the innings could have been played in any format. I mean what is amazing was that this was something that you felt he could have done in a Test match. He could have done it in an ODI," Tharoor observed.

Looking ahead to the semifinals against England, Tharoor expressed optimism about India's prospects, particularly if Samson can replicate even a fraction of this form. He acknowledged vulnerabilities in both teams but singled out South Africa as the strongest semifinalist.

"I feel very confident about Mumbai... I do believe he's arrived at a certain equilibrium which he may well be able to repeat," Tharoor said. "If Sanju now brings even 80 percent of this confidence, this calmness, this same utter reliability to the crease in the semi-final, it would be a huge advantage for India."

Tharoor's emotional investment stems not only from national pride but also his role as Samson's MP, with the cricketer hailing from his constituency. This innings, watched fully by Tharoor despite his busy schedule, provided personal satisfaction amid India's strong World Cup campaign.