Spectators at Dublin’s Malahide Cricket Ground roared in loud cheer after Hardik Pandya named Sanju Samson as Ruturaj Gaikwad’s replacement in India’s playing XI for the second T20I against Ireland on Tuesday, June 28.
Sanju Samson prompted loud cheers of appreciation, after he was named in India’s playing XI by Hardik Pandya at the toss of the team’s second T20I against Ireland in Malahide on Tuesday.
Samson, one of India’s three changes from the series opener, came in as Ruturaj Gaikwad’s replacement. Gaikwad had sustained a calf injury during the first T20I, and had not batted in the chase, with Deepak Hooda promoted to open.
Harshal Patel and Ravi Bishnoi were the other replacements, coming in for Avesh Khan and Yuzvendra Chahal respectively.
Hardik was all smiles after the crowd’s loud cheer, and responded, “A lot of people liking it, I think.” Ireland, meanwhile, named an unchanged side.
goosebumps 1.05 – 1.09 😁💗pic.twitter.com/GHr9YTSvYo
— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) June 28, 2022
Mark Adair struck early to have an in-form Ishan Kishan caught behind for 3 in just the second over of the game after the visitors opted to bat. Samson and Hooda, with some fine stroke-play, ensured that India stood at a strong 54/1 at the completion of the powerplay.
This is Samson’s just 14th T20I appearance for India, after having debuted back in 2015 against Zimbabwe. He’d wait till January 2020 for his second T20I game, and has been in and out of the side since. The 27-year-old had aggregated 174 at 14.5, with a highest of 39 before today’s game.
He led Rajasthan Royals to the IPL 2022 finals earlier this season, wherein they went down to Hardik Pandya’s Gujarat Titans by seven wickets to finish runners-up.
India won the first T20I by six wickets, chasing 109 in a 12-overs shortened game with 2.4 overs to spare. Hooda was the top-scorer with an unbeaten 29-ball 47.
