Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma retired from the T20 internationals after India won the T20 World Cup earlier this year in June, and former India batsman Mohammad Kaif believes the star duo would not have imagined to see talents like Tilak Varma and Sanju Samson taking India forward with the kind of batting performances that the duo put up on the tour of South Africa.
Two centuries each by Varma and Samson in the four-match T20I series saw India defeating South Africa 3-1 to win the trophy, as the deciding fourth match in Johannesburg on Friday produced India’s second highest T20I total of a mammoth 283. India won by 135 runs in the end.
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Leading the run spree was Varma, who scored 120 not out off just 47 balls, which included 10 sixes and 9 fours. It was his second consecutive century, making him only the fifth batsman to achieve the feat in T20I history.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Samson, who opened the innings with Abhishek Sharma, hammered an unbeaten 109 off 56 balls, including 6 fours and 9 sixes. Sharma’s 4 sixes in his 18-ball 36 made it 23 sixes in the match for India, which is now the joint third-highest in T20Is.
“These many sixes you won’t see even in the highlights package (of a match). 23 sixes in today’s match. 244 was (India’s previous T20I) record overseas, but it has been broken by 283…So many records broken in the match. Congratulations to the entire India!” said Kaif in a video he posted on ‘X’.
The Varma-Samson pair added 210 runs in their undefeated second-wicket partnership. It was also the first instance of two batsmen making centuries in the same T20I contest between two Full Member teams.
Chasing the huge total in their effort to draw the series, the Proteas could muster only 148 in 18.2 overs, which was only possible after Tristan Stubbs scored 43, David Miller 36 and Marco Jansen 29 following a top-order collapse.
All six bowlers used by captain Surykumar Yadav were among the wickets, with left-arm pacer Arshdeep Singh leading the charts with his spell of 3 for 20. Spinners Varun Chakravarthy and Axar Patel took two wickets apiece, while Hardik Pandya, Ramandeep Singh and Ravi Bishnoi struck once each.
Talking about Varma’s knock, Kaif said he paid back skipper Surya’s trust after being promoted to bat at number three.
“What a batting display by Tilak Varma! Back to back hundreds! Surya ko bola, ‘Surya bhai, aap hamare kaptaan ho, mujhe number teen pe bhej do’ (must have told his skipper Surya, send me at number three). He was sent and struck two consecutive centuries. What a player India has discovered for No. 3!” Kaif lauded the 22-year-old batsman.
Talking about Samson, who scored a century in the first match of the series and was dismissed without scoring in the next two games, Kaif said: “He either scores a zero or a hundred. Brilliant player!”
Kaif went on to add that the performance would have delighted legends Kohli and Rohit, especially because they are no longer playing the format in the international arena.
Surya was appointed the T20I captain after Rohit decided to quit the format in the international arena after leading India to the T20 World Cup victory.
“Two players will be the happiest: one is Virat Kohli and the other Rohit Sharma,” said Kaif. “Even they would not have imagined that when they retire (from T20Is), we will get players who will take India forward in such fashion, with such powerful batting. But the team showed it in today’s (Nov 15) match.”
