Sanju show in the New Year: Malayali batter hits blazing century against Jharkhand, 101 runs off 95 balls

AHMEDABAD: Even as the BCCI selection committee named the Indian squad for the upcoming ODI series against New Zealand and once again left out Malayali batter Sanju Samson, the 31-year-old made a strong statement with his bat. The Kerala cricketer turned heads by smashing a brilliant century against Jharkhand in the Vijay Hazare Trophy.

Sanju once again answered his critics in the ODI format with his bat. He reached his century in just 90 balls and finished with 101 runs off 95 deliveries, hitting nine fours and three sixes. Scoring a hundred in his first match of the new year brought joy to both the player and his fans.

Kerala’s innings got off to a blazing start thanks to captain Rohan Kunnummal, who opened alongside Sanju. Rohan played an attacking knock of 124 runs from just 78 balls, smashing 11 sixes and eight fours.

The opening pair put together a massive 212-run partnership, laying a strong foundation for Kerala. Chasing a challenging target of 312 runs set by Jharkhand, Kerala moved ahead comfortably. Baba Aparajith and Vishnu Vinod were at the crease at the time of reporting.

This match marked Sanju Samson’s first appearance of the season in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Although he made a strong statement with a century in his very first game, Sanju was left out of the Indian squad for the ODI series against New Zealand, leaving fans disappointed despite his excellent form.