Sanju Samson made cricket history in the third ODI against South Africa, achieving a notable milestone alongside Virat Kohli as the second No.3 batsman to score an ODI century against South Africa in their own country.
Sanju Samson’s maiden century in one-day internationals, accomplished in just 110 balls with 6 fours and 2 sixes, served as redemption for his prior subpar performance in the ODI series against the Proteas.
Facing criticism for inconsistent displays, Samson seized the opportunity in the absence of key players Kohli and Rohit Sharma.
His exclusion from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023 squad added significance to this achievement. Aiden Markram’s decision to invite India to bat first set the stage for Samson’s outstanding innings, enabling India to set a target of 297 for South Africa to chase on a slowish surface.
Beyond contributing to India’s success, Samson’s record-breaking century marks a pivotal turning point in his international cricket career. With that hundred, Sanju Samson has now joined hands with Virat Kohli as the only Indian number 3 batters who have scored an ODI century vs South Africa in South Africa.
Chasing the target of 297 runs, South Africa were all out for 218 runs with Arshdeep Singh taking a 4 wicket-haul. With that win, Team India round off their limited overs cricket in 2023 in winning ways. Team India is set to take on South Africa in a 2 match Test series commencing from the 26th of December while the 2nd Test will be played from 3rd January 2024.
