SA vs IND: KL Rahul satisfied with 'phenomenal performer' Sanju Samson after maiden international ton

India put forth a brilliant performance in the ODI series decider against South Africa on Thursday, December 21. Coming into the clash with a score of 1-1, both sides had it all to play for in the last game.

Batting first, the Men in Blue put in an exceptional showing and the star of the show was Sanju Samson, who scored his maiden international century, scoring 108 off 114. Samson’s knock ensured that India posted a competitive 296 on the board in their allotted quota of 50 overs.

Samson's performance also earned him the Player of the Match award, and he left skipper KL Rahul in awe of himself. Lauding the Kerala batter, Rahul stated that it was nice to see Samson get the chance with Team India and him making the most of it.

"Sanju has been a phenomenal performer in the IPL; unfortunately, hasn't got a lot of chances at the top of the order for various reasons but nice to see him do well today," KL Rahul said in a post-match presentation.

Always love being around the boys: KL Rahul

Furthermore, Rahul also talked of how good it was to get back on the field after a disappointing result in the ODI World Cup 2023. He also highlighted the importance of letting the youngsters in the side play their game so they are better suited.

"Always love being around the boys. Nice to get back on the cricket field after a disappointing world cup. Have played with a lot of them in the IPL, nice to get out here and play with them. Usually my message is to always enjoy the game, to give your best and not worry about the rest. They're great cricketers but few of them haven't played internationally so it's about giving them some time to adjust. It's about making their roles clear and they all gave their 100% so nothing more I can ask," Rahul said.