Sanju Samson is in scorching touch, and the nature of the bowling threat hasn’t appeared to faze him—whether it’s an emerging uncapped Indian quick or the elite pace of Jasprit Bumrah. When Samson took on Bumrah, widely regarded as the leading fast-bowling force in world cricket at present, he looked completely unhurried. In the fifth over, he picked a slower delivery early and deposited it for a superb six over the mid-wicket boundary, a strike that underlined both his timing and his self-belief in a Rajasthan Royals chase.
Samson’s century: timing, control and big-hitting
Samson finished unbeaten on 101, maintaining his momentum from start to finish. His innings featured six maximums and ten fours, as he kept finding gaps and converting the right balls into scoring shots. The highlight of the knock was the way he handled Bumrah—especially that mid-wicket six in the early phase—so much so that even Mumbai Indians captain Rohit Sharma reacted to what was unfolding.
- Samson remained not out on 101
- He struck six sixes and ten fours
- The standout blow came in the fifth over off Bumrah, a six over mid-wicket
- Rohit Sharma showed a visible reaction to Samson’s strike against Bumrah
The Wankhede milestone and the mindset behind it
After the match, Samson described his century at Wankhede Stadium against the Mumbai Indians as a “special moment.” He felt the conditions played a key role, noting that the wicket wasn’t behaving like a typical Wankhede surface. In his view, the ball was swinging and holding slightly, which demanded a more thoughtful approach rather than relying on instinct alone.
Samson’s message was clear: he’s been keeping things simple lately—reading the conditions, understanding what the pitch offers, and then letting that guide his decisions. He explained that once the powerplay concluded, he had a better understanding of the nature of the track and could shape his innings accordingly.
- Samson called the century at Wankhede against MI a “special moment”
- He said the pitch was not a typical Wankhede track
- He pointed out the ball was swinging and holding a bit
- He noted that after the powerplay, he understood the wicket better
Building at the right moments as wickets fell
While wickets kept tumbling at the other end, Samson stayed focused on his role in the chase. He admitted that the scoring rate could have been even faster if he had found more consistent support from the other batter, but he was content with how he managed to accelerate later on to help his team cross the 200-run mark.
Samson also reflected on how important it was to keep a settled presence at the crease when the team lost partners at intervals. He felt that the best plan was to bat according to what the match demanded—rather than entering with a fixed, premeditated strategy. With experience guiding his decision-making, he said the priority is always the team’s needs, and his job is to interpret the situation and plan his innings around it with an open mindset.
He added that if too many wickets hadn’t fallen, he would have looked to attack earlier. Given the fall of wickets, he believed it became vital for his side to finish the innings strongly, which is exactly what he aimed to do throughout.
- Samson said wickets kept falling at intervals, especially when the team tried to go big
- He believed it was crucial for a settled batter to remain until the end
- He felt the team’s run-rate could have been quicker with better support in the middle
- He highlighted that he accelerated towards the end to help Rajasthan Royals surpass 200
- He stressed that there’s no need for a pre-conceived mindset—batting should follow the game’s demands
- He said his responsibility is to understand the match situation and plan his innings around team requirements
- He concluded that with fewer wickets lost, he would have attacked earlier, but the fall of wickets made a strong finish essential
What Samson said after the match
Samson’s comments summed up a simple but disciplined approach: keep reading the wicket, stay composed when partners are departing, and then shift gears at the right time to maximise the team’s total. His unbeaten century at Wankhede—anchored by that memorable six off Bumrah—provided the statement innings Rajasthan Royals needed on the day.
