Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson had a disappointing performance during India A’s clash with India D in the Duleep Trophy 2024. On Day 2 of the match at the Rural Development Trust Stadium in Anantapur on Friday, September 13, Samson fell victim to a poor shot selection, getting dismissed cheaply for just five runs.
India A began the second day at 288/8, with Shams Mulani (88) and Khaleel Ahmed (15) holding the crease. Mulani, who was inching closer to a century, was dismissed by Harshit Rana after a valiant effort, falling just short at 89 off 187 balls, which included eight boundaries and three sixes. Aaqib Khan was Rana’s next victim, dismissed on the following ball.
When India D took to the crease, they quickly found themselves in trouble, losing two wickets for just six runs. Atharva Taide was the first to go, scoring only four runs, followed by skipper Shreyas Iyer, who was dismissed for a duck. Yash Dubey was next, leaving India D reeling at 44/3 when Sanju Samson stepped in.
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Samson started with a boundary, offering a glimmer of hope. However, his stay was short-lived as he mistimed a pull shot against Aaqib Khan’s short delivery in the 18th over. Samson’s failure to move his feet led to a miscued shot that went straight into the air. Prasidh Krishna made a diving catch at mid-on, ending Samson’s innings at a meagre five runs from six balls.
Pacers Khaleel Ahmed & Aaqib Khan have impressed so far for India A with 2⃣ wickets each!
Watch 📽️ all the 4⃣ India D wickets to fall in the morning session on Day 2 🔽#DuleepTrophy | @IDFCFIRSTBank
Follow the match ▶️: https://t.co/m9YW0HttaH pic.twitter.com/7GIOzLwpa5
— BCCI Domestic (@BCCIdomestic) September 13, 2024
Initially not selected for any Duleep Trophy squads, Samson was drafted in as a replacement for Ishan Kishan, who missed the first match. However, KS Bharat was chosen to play XI over Samson in the first round. Samson returned for the second match but will now need to step up in the second innings to redeem himself.
With Rishabh Pant sidelined due to a car accident, the wicketkeeper position in the Indian team is up for grabs. In Pant’s absence, India has handed Test debuts to KS Bharat, Ishan Kishan, and Dhruv Jurel.
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At the time of writing, India D struggled at 158/9, with Devdutt Padikkal’s impressive 92 being the lone standout performance in a batting lineup that otherwise failed to cross the 25-run mark. Captain Shreyas Iyer remained optimistic, saying that leading a team full of familiar faces isn’t difficult and that their focus is on playing well and dominating without overthinking the result.
