Deccan to Durban: Sanju Samson becomes 1st Indian to hit back-to-back T20I hundreds

South Africa vs India, 1st T20I: Sanju Samson continued from where he left in Hyderabad as he began the T20I series in South Africa with a 47-ball hundred in Durban on November 8. Samson became only the fourth Indian to hit multiple hundreds in T20I cricket.

In Short

• Sanju Samson became the first Indian wicketkeeper to hit a T20I hundred
• He became only the fourth man in T20I cricket to hit back-to-back hundreds
• Samson has played with renewed confidence under Suryakumar's captaincy

Sanju Samson had to wait nine years after making his debut for his maiden hundred in the T20I format. For his second, he needed just 27 days. Samson became the first Indian batter and only the fourth in the world to hit hundreds in back-to-back T20I matches. Samson had hit a 47-ball 111 in Hyderabad on October 12 against Bangladesh in India's last T20I assignment. He continued from where he left in Deccan to hit a 47-ball hundred in the T20I series opener against South Africa in Durban.

Sanju Samson looked at his confident best on Friday, November 8 as he put the South African attack under pressure. India lost young opener Abhishek Sharma early, but Samson and captain Suryakumar Yadav unleashed the big ones in the powerplay, helping India score 56 runs in the first six overs. Samson hit 35 runs off just 20 balls in the powerplay, making his intentions clear from the word go.

SA v IND, 1st T20I: Live Reactions

A total of 11 Indian batters have scored hundreds in T20I cricket and only four of them have managed to do so more than once. Sanju Samson joined his captain, Suryakumar, his former captain Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul in an elite list of Indian batters with multiple T20I hundreds in their careers.

Samson was equally severe against fast bowlers and spin bowlers as he tore into the South African bowling attack. The Kerala batting superstar hit 7 boundaries and 9 sixes in his belligerent knock that set the tone for India's potential big total in the series opener at Kingsmead, Durban.

BATTERS WITH BACK-TO-BACK T20I HUNDREDS

1. Gustav Mckeon - France
2. Rilee Rossouw - South Africa
3. Phil Salt - England
4. Sanju Samson - India

Samson eventually fell for 107 in the 16th over while trying to hit fast bowler Coetzee into the stands. He broke Rohit Sharma's record for the highest T20I score against South Africa by an Indian.

Samson and Suryakumar stitched a 66-run partnership in just 5.5 overs and the Rajasthan captain was able to overshadow the world's best T20I better with little effort. Samson was hitting it to all parts of the ground with precision as he flaunted his wide array of shots in the middle in the series opener.

SAMSON'S DURBAN SPECIAL IN NUMBERS

1. Fastest T20I hundred against South Africa for India
2. First wicketkeeper-batter to hit two T20I hundreds
3. Fourth Indian to hit more than one hundred in T20I cricket

Samson had been in and out of the T20I side after having made his debut in T20I debut in 2015. Spoardaic opportunities meant Samson was not able to cement his place in the T20I side despite his success in the Indian Premier League for Rajasthan Royals.

Samson was part of the T20 World Cup squad that won the title in 2024, but he did not get a single game in the campaign.

Under the leadership group of Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir, Samson seems to have unlocked his potential, finding his foot at the top of the order. Samson will be looked at as an ideal replacement for Rohit Sharma, who retired from the format after the World Cup triumph.