Veteran commentator Aakash Chopra has applauded Sanju Samson for consistently playing important knocks in the Rajasthan Royals (RR) season openers across the last few editions of the Indian Premier League. However, Samson smashed an unbeaten 82 off 52 as his side posted 193-4 in their IPL 2024 clash against the Lucknow Super Giants in Jaipur on Sunday, March 24. RR then restricted LSG to 173-6 to register a win.
In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, “The first is Rajasthan’s captain Sanju Samson – what a player. He has started every season with a fifty for the last five-six years, and he did that this time as well. He didn’t stop at fifty but converted it into a bigger knock, which you will always expect from him as he is a very good player. If you watch Sanju Samson play from a neutral position, you feel he is class. The batting talent he has, the ability to time the ball he has, and the time he has, he looks like a million dollars. So he batted extremely well.”
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However, Sanju Samson has posted 50-plus scores, including a hundred in IPL 2021, in RR’s first games in the last five editions of the cash-rich league. Chopra also Lauded the young Riyan Parag for scoring a crucial 29-ball 43. He opined that this could be his breakthrough season. And, Aakash Chopra chose Nicholas Pooran as the Lucknow Super Giants’ star performer as well.
“At No. 2, I am keeping Nicholas Pooran. Lucknow did not get off to as good a start as they wanted but then came a storm named Nicholas Pooran.”When he hits, he hits differently. It seemed for a long time that he might win the match alone. If only he had got a little more help from the other end. Sandeep Sharma is my third player of the match. He was brilliant. The way he bowled in the end when it seemed like the match was turning towards Lucknow, he pulled it back towards them (RR),” Aakash Chopra concluded.
