Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Monday met with India cricketer Sanju Samson, who recently scored a match-winning hundred against Bangladesh in a T20I match played in Hyderabad last week.
Samson's blazing 111 helped India post the second highest team total (297/6) in T20I history at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium in Uppal. The Men in Blue then restricted Bangladesh to 164 for 7 to win by 133 runs and sweep the 3-match series 3-0.
It was Samson's maiden hundred in the format and the second quickest by an Indian batter, coming off 40 balls which is just 5 more than what Rohit Sharma took to reach triple figures against Sri Lanka seven years ago in Indore.
WATCH: Sanju Samson Smashes 5 Successive Sixes In Rishad Hossain’s Over; Scores Maiden T20I Hundred Off 40 Balls
Samson finally gives Tharoor a chance to celebrate
Tharoor is been a big fan of Samson's abilities and has been vocal in the past whenever the Kerala-born player was ignored by Team India selectors or kept out of the playing XI due to his inconsistency in international cricket.
But the politician finally got to celebrate a special innings from Samson which will help him cement a permanent place in the Indian playing XI.
"Delighted to give a hero’s welcome to “ton-up Sanju” as @IamSanjuSamson returned to Thiruvananthapuram after his stunning century versus Bangladesh. Found a “ponnada” in the appropriate India colours to honour him with!" Tharoor tweeted on X along with four pictures with the Trivandrum native.
Delighted to give a hero’s welcome to “ton-up Sanju” as @IamSanjuSamson returned to Thiruvananthapuram after his stunning century versus Bangladesh. Found a “ponnada” in the appropriate India colours to honour him with!
#SanjuSamsonpic.twitter.com/g87SxHDOb2— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) October 14, 2024
Sanju Samson & Hardik Pandya Take Photo With Hyderabad Stadium Ground Staff After India’s Big Win Over Bangladesh
Talented Sanju yet to fire from all cylinders
Samson, whose T20I career began in 2015 with high hopes, has played only 32 matches, scoring 483 runs at a modest average of 19.32 and a strike rate of 132.69. These numbers didn’t reflect the immense talent he regularly displays in the IPL.
But in Hyderabad, he became the first Indian wicketkeeper to score a ton in T20Is and now holds the sixth-highest individual score for a wicketkeeper in the format.
Interestingly, Samson also holds the title of being the last Indian batter to score an ODI hundred, a feat he accomplished in South Africa in December 2023. Looks like he’s finally hitting his stride!