Centurions Samson and Varma dazzle to break records at Jo'burg

Both batters muscle and hustle Proteas bowlers to hammer hundreds and score the highest T20 total on South African soil

- Rasesh Mandani

For so long, until India won the T20 World Cup earlier this year, India would look at power hitters around the world and wonder if they should tweak their formula; if they should move away from their all-format batting heroes. We would often applaud their ability to switch formats but at the same time, also wonder if this was the best they could do in T20 cricket.

As it turned out, the varied pitches in the USA leg of the 2024 T20 World Cup suited the all-season players well. But, increasingly, this shortest format in the game calls for muscling the leather ball and hustling at breakneck speed. Just as well that Indian cricket has left their old ways behind and embraced the new after the World Cup.

Their batters have put up an exhibition during their South African safari but their most dazzling display came in the fourth T20I at Johannesburg on Friday. India finished with 283/1 after their 20 overs. Suryakumar Yadav, their most destructive batting force, wasn't even required. Wearing the captain's armband, he spent most of the innings wearing a huge smile in the dugout.