GT vs MI, IPL 2022: The redemption of Daniel Sams

After fifty matches in the 2022 IPL, Gujarat Titans were comfortably placed at the top of the points table. They had lost two out of their ten matches. One of the two expansion franchises of the season (Lucknow Super Giants being the other), Gujarat were eyeing a playoffs spot. They were facing Mumbai Indians, who had lost their first eight matches – an IPL record for any side – before beating Rajasthan Royals. Despite the rich history of Mumbai, Gujarat went into the match as rank favourites. Gujarat lived up to their reputation. After Mumbai posted 177/6, Shubman Gill and Wriddhiman Saha added 106 in 12 overs. Gujarat needed 72 in eight overs with all their wickets in hand. There were a few hiccups, including Sai Sudharsan getting hit wickets, but even then, 40 in four overs was in Gujarat’s reach. [caption id=“attachment_10643811” align=“alignnone” width=“640”]  Daniel Sams of Mumbai Indians celebrates the win over Gujarat Titans. Sportzpics[/caption] At this point, Rohit Sharma had a choice to make. He had two overs of Jasprit Bumrah and one of Riley Meredith. If he bowled them out, he would need to turn to one of the others for the 20th over. It was a risk, but asking someone else to bowl before the 20th over might result in the match being decided in that over. Despite Hardik Pandya’s runout, Gujarat took 31 from three overs of Bumrah and Meredith. Mumbai were left to defend nine. Rohit had to choose between Kieron Pollard, Kumar Kartikeya, perhaps one of the part-timers, Tim David and Tilak Varma, and… Daniel Sams. Just over a month ago, Rohit had entrusted Sams when Kolkata Knight Riders needed 35 in five overs. Sams had conceded the entirety of that in one over as Pat Cummins blazed his way to the joint-fastest fifty in IPL history. It was a freak performance that could have happened to any bowler – Harshal Patel faced worse in the same season he won the Purple Cap as well as the MVP – but it cost Sams his place in the side. When he finally returned, he did it in style, taking out Ruturaj Gaikwad with the first ball he bowled. He took 4-30 that night, a performance that got forgotten in the aftermath of MS Dhoni’s brutal, decisive onslaught against Jaydev Unadkat in the last over. Performances in defeats are seldom hailed. Sams bowled well inside the powerplay against Lucknow Super Giants before KL Rahul went after him in his fourth over. Against Rajasthan, he impressed with 4-0-32-1. In all these matches, Rohit ensured Sams had bowled out his full quota before the death overs. In fact, the Cummins onslaught had also come in the 16th over. But now, he turned to Sams. Until last night, Gujarat’s death-over run rate while chasing was 13.42, the highest of the season (it dropped to 12.56 last night, and even then they are ahead of anyone else). Between them, David Miller, Rahul Tewatia, and Rashid Khan – the Gujarat batters set to take on Sams – were one of the most formidable lineups.

The three men have, between them, struck at 208 this season. They have hit a four or six every three balls (apart from short runs). Nine runs were within their reach. It was Gujarat’s match to lose. Read: How the thrilling last over from Daniel Sams panned out Yorkers are not Sams’s speciality. His strength lies in variations, of line, length, and pace. He took his pace off the first ball. Miller read the pace, and played it deep point for a run. Gujarat could afford a single. Sams stuck to that line well outside off. Tewatia had earlier lofted fast bowlers – even Josh Hazlewood – over extra cover. This time he missed, and the umpire did not call a wide. Sams had won the initial battle, but Gujarat were still a six away from changing that. The next ball was within Tewatia’s reach, but was probably not short enough to pull. Tewatia pulled anyway. He did not time it well. Tilak Varma was some distance away from the ball, so they decided for a second run. Tewatia was run out, and worse, Miller was not on strike. Out came Rashid. Sams bowled shorter than usual, for Rashid can demolish anything pitched up. Rashid top-edged the pull, but the catch eluded a diving Sams. They scampered for a single. Gujarat now needed six in two balls. The comfortable single Miller could afford to run off the first ball was now off the cards. They needed at least one boundary, never an easy ask if a bowler bowls slow, outside off stump. Miller eyed the relatively vacant leg side. When Sams stuck to his line, Miller tried to play a cross-batted swing while remaining rooted to the crease. He missed. It came down six off to the last ball. Neither Tewatia nor Rashid – two men who have done it this season – was on strike, but Miller can be a brute as well. He also knew what Sams would bowl – full, slow, well outside off. Sams bowled exactly that, and yet – for the second time in a row – Miller decided to go for a cross-batted heave without footwork. It was a full toss, but it eluded Miller’s reach – and Mumbai celebrated . Sams’s discipline had triumphed against three incredible, in-form hitters. And unlike the spells against Chennai, Lucknow, and Rajasthan, this one will be cherished by the same critics who had ripped him apart and the same fans who had trolled him viciously after that horror night against Kolkata. Abhishek Mukherjee is the Chief Editor at CricketNews and co-author of Sachin and Azhar at Cape Town. Read all the  Latest News ****,  Trending News ****,  Cricket News ****,  Bollywood News ****,  India News  and  Entertainment News  here. Follow us on  Facebook****,  Twitter and  Instagram****.