'He Has Fight in His Eyes and Body Language': Sanju Samson, Ravichandran Ashwin Heap Praise on Sandeep Sharma as RR Down LSG

Rajasthan Royals registered a 20-run win over Lucknow Super Giants at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur on Sunday to open their IPL 2024 campaign on a winning note.

Skipper Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 82-run knock propelled the inaugural edition champions to a score of 193, which they managed to defend successfully by limiting KL Rahul’s LSG to 173 runs for the loss of 6 wickets in 20 overs.

Rahul and Windies big-hitter Nicholas Pooran posted half-centuries, but their efforts went in vain ultimately as the Royals picked up the two points on offer in front of their passionate home crowd.

Samson, who was awarded the Man of the Match award heaped praise on RR seamer Sandeep Sharma for playing a crucial role in the victory with the ball.

The match remained in the balance well into the business end of the game, before Sandeep’s incredibly economical spell of 3 overs, in which he conceded just 22 runs and picked up the wicket of the dangerous Rahul, turned the tide of the game in favour of the hosts.

“I think I should give the trophy to Sandeep Sharma. I wouldn’t have been standing here if not for him,” Samson said magnanimously.

“I thought of calling him, but then thought it would be a bit too much,” he expressed.

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RR spinner Ravichandran Ashwin was also all praise for Sandeep as the Tamil Nadu bowler pointed out the fight in the 30-year-old and his incredible attitude. Samson reiterated Ashwin’s point.

“The game is built by perceptions, if you look at the way Sandy has bowled, he has been a top-5 bowler in the IPL,” Ashwin said.

“He’s a character, he does the dirty work for us, and did a lot to cover for Prasidh in the last season as well. I see him as a fighter,” the spin wizard said.

Samson doubled down on Ashwin’s assessment of the seamer and commended his attitude.

“I heard Ash bhai say it’s not just about skill but character in pressure moments. He has that in his eyes, and in his body language that you can trust that guy,” the skipper said.