How do you even begin to make sense of it? It wasn’t the flattest pitch you’d ever seen. It wasn’t a ground with the shortest boundaries on offer. It wasn’t even the driest outfield, not after that sharp spell of rain. And yet, India pulled off the unthinkable, racking up a total of 297/6. In a T20I match. Without the Impact Player rule in play.
The only method to this madness was trying to hit every ball for a six. The rest? Total madness.
Consider this: Sanju Samson isn’t typically recognized for his power-hitting prowess. He’s more of a nuanced player, whose ability to time his sixes so effortlessly often leaves spectators wondering which muscles did the work. He’s a blend of elegance and frustration, and that’s where his magic lies. However, on the night of October 12 in Hyderabad, he powered his way to a thundering 40-ball century, his first in T20Is, before celebrating by flexing his biceps towards the dugout.
A sight to behold indeed.
While Sanju was dominating at the crease, a number of factors seemed irrelevant. His batting position was unfamiliar. Taskin Ahmed’s slower deliveries with the new ball seemed futile attempts to contain him. A malfunctioning floodlight might have offered an ominous pause, a kind that typically ushers in a wicket, but it went unnoticed. Even Rishad Hossain’s switch to bowling around the wicket in a desperate bid to prevent the ball from going over the ropes a fifth consecutive time was no match for Sanju.
Just a day earlier, India’s assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate had praised Sanju for his selflessness throughout the series, commending him for not merely “knocking the ball around and getting 50-60 not out”. Here’s Sanju, holding the Player of the Match trophy, representing an era of fearless batting like no other.
“We’ve committed as a group, as a batting unit, to dominate every game we play in this format,” Sanju expressed post-match. “As a team, this is our approach, and I’m thankful that I could deliver something valuable today.”
Sanju’s path hasn’t been the easiest. Opportunities have been scarce and spaced out. Juggling team goals with his personal objectives poses its own set of challenges. Furthermore, his recent stint under new management has seen him as an opener, a role already flooded with contenders in the Indian squad. Securing the second-fastest T20I century for India is certainly an attention grabber, especially with the looming T20 World Cup which will unfold in similar conditions.
.
“I’ve come to understand my game; I can bat anywhere from Nos. 1 to 6. I believe I possess both power and timing,” said Sanju. “Adjusting to the role is crucial.”
Cricket at this level isn’t understated. Playing for India is challenging. Failures prevail over successes, especially in a format where aggression is key. With great risk comes the frequency of failure. Sanju’s years of experience, enhanced by the IPL and international matches, have taught him to handle pressure, embrace fallbacks, and attribute much of his mental fortitude to the dressing room.
One can’t ignore the arsenal Sanju brings to the table, particularly his prowess against spin. The five consecutive sixes over Rishad Hossain emphasized his mastery, not born out of muscle alone but via exquisite control and precision—a clarion call that on pitches like these, very few can nurture spin as Samson does.
“I understand what I can unleash against a spinner…” Sanju declared. His intent? To maximize runs off an over. The result? Those five sixes happened, almost serendipitously.
Upon establishing himself after the PowerPlay, Sanju understood India required hefty totals from all overs. He had once envisioned not just hitting consecutive sixes, but possibly clearing all six. His collaboration with mentor Raiphi Gomez involved constant practice and visualization of such feats.
This wasn’t Sanju’s first stamp on this ground. Previously, he had graced the venue with an IPL century in 2019, a memory still vivid. Sharing this milestone with Suryakumar Yadav, both captaining and partnering effectively in rewriting records, added more delight to the achievement.
The seamless communication between captain and opener wasn’t confined to the match; it translated into their preparedness weeks prior. Sanju, informed well before the series about his opening role, allowed ample preparation time and enabled specificity in his practice routines.
As the night evolved, the records tumbling fell secondary to witnessing a mesmerizing display of India’s renewed batting strategy and unabated confidence. Context and logic could be shelved. Some performances elude reason and invite the pure joy of spectacle.
In the intersection of madness and genius, sometimes it’s best to sit back and enjoy the show.