Fri Sep 20 07:45:42 UTC 2024: ## Sanju Samson Blasts Maiden Duleep Trophy Century, Propels India D to Strong Total
**Bengaluru, September 20:** Sanju Samson, the Rajasthan Royals captain, smashed his maiden century in the Duleep Trophy first-class competition, hitting 106 off just 101 balls for India D against India B on Friday. The knock, his 11th first-class hundred, came after a late call-up to the tournament and marked a strong start to a long domestic season for the Kerala wicketkeeper-batter.
Samson, initially absent from the Duleep Trophy squads, stepped in as a replacement for injured Ishan Kishan in the Shreyas Iyer-led India D team. After modest scores in the second round, he seized the opportunity in the third and final round, batting aggressively at number six to propel India D to a strong first-innings total of 349.
The 29-year-old smashed 12 boundaries and three sixes against a potent India B bowling attack, which included Mukesh Kumar, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Washington Sundar, Rahul Chahar, and Navdeep Saini. Samson formed crucial partnerships with Saransh Jain and Ricky Bhui, taking the attack to the opposition.
His century came on the back of half-centuries from Devdutt Padikkal (50), KS Bharat (52), and Ricky Bhui (56). Samson’s explosive innings came after India D lost their top order quickly, with Nishant Sindhu (19) and captain Iyer (0) falling early.
The knock will undoubtedly boost Samson’s confidence ahead of the Ranji Trophy season, set to begin in October. He will be looking to continue his strong form with Kerala and solidify his position as a crucial contender for national selection.
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