'Otherwise waste of God-given talent': Gavaskar wants Samson to refine shot selection

Rajasthan Royals pacer Kartik Tyagi defended four runs in the final over to help the team to a two-run victory in their first match of the IPL 2021 UAE leg. With Punjab requiring four runs to win off the last six balls, Kartik Tyagi dismissed Nicholas Pooran (32) and Deepak Hooda (0) and conceded only one run. A fantastic display from Rajasthan Royals but their captain Sanju Samson could not post much as he was caught out by KL Rahul at the back for just 4 off 5 balls. According to former Indian skipper Sunil Gavaskar, Samson wants to prolong his career then he needs to be more consistent with his run-scoring and improve his shot selection.

"What has led him down is the shot selection. Even at the international level, he doesn't open the batting there. He was the second or the third wicket down. And he looks to hit the first ball out of the ground. That is impossible. That is absolutely impossible even if you've been in the richest vein of form. You have got to maybe knock it around for maybe twos and threes and get the feet moving and then look to play," Gavaskar said on Star Sports.

Gavaskar then added that something the RR skipper needs to watch out for is his shot selection as that will help improve his temperament as well. He then said, "That is what separates the men from the boys. And therefore, for him to go on and be a regular player for India, his shot selection has to be that much better."

PBKS vs RR IPL 2021

Punjab Kings succeeded in restricting the Rajasthan Royals to 185 in the final over courtesy of spinner Arshdeep Singh's brilliant fifer (5/32). The inaugural edition's winners ended up posting a competitive total after brilliants knock from the opener Yashasvi Jaiswal (49) and middle-order batsman Mahipal Lomror (43). 

In reply, the Punjab Kings were off to a brisk start as skipper KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal added 120 runs for the opening stand. Rahul was dismissed one short of what would have been a superb half-century. Nonetheless, his opening partner Agarwal carried on and completed his fifty before being dismissed for a 3-ball 67 in the 13th over.

PBKS were still in the hunt as the match went right down to the wire. With just four needed off the final over, PBKS were cruising towards an easy win but youngster Kartik Tyagi bowled an outstanding over where he took two wickets by conceding just a single as Rajasthan Royals snatched victory from the jaws of defeat. 

By the virtue of this win, the former champions now occupy the fifth spot in the IPL 2021 points table with four wins from eight matches and four points to their tally.

(Image: PTI)