When conversations turn to India’s greatest innings in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, one performance almost always dominates the debate — Virat Kohli’s unforgettable 82* against the Pakistan national cricket team at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2022. For many fans and experts who witnessed that masterpiece, it seemed nearly impossible for another Indian batter to match its impact. But according to former India captain Kris Srikkanth, Sanju Samson may have just produced an innings that belongs in the same elite conversation.
Samson delivered a breathtaking unbeaten 97 off just 50 balls to guide India national cricket team to a dramatic five-wicket win over the West Indies cricket team in a must-win Super 8 clash at Eden Gardens. The innings not only sealed India’s place in the semifinals but also marked one of the most memorable chases in the tournament’s history.
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Kris Srikkanth could not hide his admiration for Samson’s remarkable knock. He went as far as comparing it to Kohli’s iconic Melbourne effort.
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“Sanju — one of the greatest chases I’ve ever seen,” Kris Srikkanth said. “When Virat Kohli played that knock against Pakistan in Melbourne, I was there at the ground. This felt like that level. Everything seemed to fall perfectly into place for him.”
The former India opener also pointed out how calm and controlled Samson looked throughout the chase. According to Srikkanth, the Kerala batter appeared to have more time than usual while facing the bowlers — a trait often seen in truly special innings.
“Sanju had that extra second to play his shots,” he explained. “There wasn’t a single careless stroke. At no stage did he look like getting out. Those back-foot straight drives against the fast bowlers and the punch shots — it was batting of the highest quality.”
Srikkanth admitted that the West Indies bowling lacked penetration at times, but he insisted that Samson’s shot selection and timing made the innings extraordinary. The wicketkeeper-batter displayed a wide range of strokes, seamlessly switching between front-foot aggression and back-foot precision.
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“He had so much time to play his shots,” Kris Srikkanth added. “Front foot, back foot — it didn’t matter. Even the six he hit off the back foot in the previous match was exceptional. I honestly don’t know how he plays some of those shots.”
Samson’s innings in Kolkata also rewrote the record books, surpassing Kohli’s mark for the highest score by an Indian in a successful T20 World Cup chase — a feat that further cemented the knock’s place in tournament folklore.
