Virat Kohli's best friend rejects Gautam Gambhir’s role in Sanju Samson's success

Virat Kohli's best friend, AB de Villiers, has opined that there is no role of the Gautam Gambhir-led coaching staff in the success of the star wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson.

The Proteas great AB de Villiers feels that Sanju Samson has started to succeed at the international level because he has reached a certain maturity point and there is no role of Gautam Gambhir in his redemption.

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Sanju Samson Won Player Of The Match In 1st T20I Against South Africa

India National Cricket Team wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson bagged the Player of the Match award for his heroics with the bat in the first T20I of the four-match series against South Africa National Cricket Team at Kingsmead in Durban.

Samson emerged as the best batsman in the match, and he batted aggressively from the very start despite losing his opening partner early on in the innings.

He completed his half-century off 27 balls and looked quite desperate to reach three figures. Samson was at his selfless best as he accelerated further and hit an astonishing ton off 47 balls, which was the fastest by an Indian against South Africa.

He also became the first Indian cricketer in history to hit two consecutive T20I centuries. The wicketkeeper-batsman was eventually dismissed by Nqabayomzi Peter on the 4th ball of the 16th over as Tristan Stubbs took a great catch near the boundary ropes. Samson walked back to the hut after scoring 107 runs off 50 balls, with 7 fours and 10 sixes.

I'm incredibly proud of the guy - AB de Villiers on Sanju Samson

Talking about Sanju Samson, the legendary South Africa National Cricket Team batsman AB de Villiers stated that he is very proud of the Kerala batter and pinpointed that he has significantly increased his strike rate.

"Sanju Samson, who scored a massive 100. Back-to-back T20 hundreds, absolutely incredible. Am incredibly proud of the guy, I say proud because I do have a personal connection with him. We have been in touch for a number of years now. I have always been a big fan of Sanju Samson, I just love the way he plays, and I always want him to do well," said AB de Villiers on his YouTube channel.

"He scored a 100 once at the Chinnaswamy Stadium against RCB, I was on the park and I realised that day, that this guy is something special and he is proving me right. For those of you who have followed Sanju Samson, I haven't often seen him bat at a strike rate of more than 200, he is generally more conservative, he is usually between 140-160 and both these hundreds he has scored back-to-back have been very very fast and especially this last hundred," he added.

Something has clicked in the Sanju Samson world, whether it's the coaching staff, I doubt it - AB de Villiers

AB de Villiers highlighted that Sanju Samson sticks to his basics and doesn't try to play too many innovative shots.

"Something has triggered there, something has clicked in his game which is absolutely great to watch. The thing about him is that he makes it effortless out there. I don't see much experimentation going out there. Not a lot of creativity in terms of funny shots, doesn't seem that he wants to entertain the crowd and please someone, he just sticks in his little bubble and he just is easy on the eye," said de Villiers."

AB de Villiers also urged the Indian selection committee to consider Sanju Samson in all three formats and further said that the coaching staff has played no role in his revival.

"Sanju has upped the gear in his game. I hope the selectors are watching this for all the formats. I wan to see this guy play all the formats. I think he is someone who is really really special, someone who can play all the formats, in all conditions around the world. Something has clicked in the Sanju Samson world, whether it's the coaching staff, I doubt it.

"No disrespect to VVS Laxman, Gautam Gambhir, Ryan ten Doeschate and Morne Morkel, whoever is a part of the coaching group. I just feel that this guy has reached the maturity point, he has realised something. It is exciting to all of us Samson fans. I think there is another gear, a sixth gear, I want to see it unfold," he added.