IND vs SA: Karthik lauds 'special player' Sanju Samson, feels he has 'cemented his spot as T20I opener'

Former Indian wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik feels Sanju Samson has cemented his spot as an opener in T20Is. During the ongoing India-South Africa series, in the African nation, Samson struck a magnificent 107 -- becoming the first Indian to hit successive T20I centuries -- in the first T20I, in Durban. Riding on his ton, Suryakumar Yadav-led Men in Blue thrashed Aiden Markram-led hosts by 61 runs. Sanju, however, failed to get going in the second T20I, being out for a 3-ball duck as SA levelled the series with a three-wicket win inGqeberha.

Speaking on Samson, DK lavished praise on the Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper and labelled him a 'special player'. Karthik feels Samson has made a few technical changes to his game and focused on six-hitting, making him a force to reckon with in T20Is.

Speaking on Cricbuzz, DK said, "I think he [Samson] has cemented his spot as an opener. Yashasvi Jaiswal and him will be the openers at least for some time to come in the T20 format. He has made a lot of technical changes, especially suited to this format. He focused a lot on six-hitting."

Karthik further highlighted, "Against Keshav Maharaj, he stepped out but missed the length of the ball (in the first T20I). Maharaj did brilliantly to beat him in the air, but Sanju held his position and waited on the shot, hitting it over covers. That's a man who, even when he misses the length, doesn't panic and holds that extra second." He added, "That's a very tough skill to have, but he does it very well. That's what makes him very special."

Samson would be keen to get another big score in the third and penultimate T20I, which will be held in Centurion on Wednesday (Nov 13). The four-match series is interestingly poised at 1-1.