Sanju Samson slammed an unbeaten 212 runs off just 129 deliveries against Goa in Alur. (Courtesy by BCCI)

Sanju Samson strengthened his claim for the wicketkeeper’s role in the national side with his maiden double century in a Vijay Hazare Trophy match on Saturday.

Playing for Kerala, Samson converted his maiden First-Class century as he slammed an unbeaten 212 runs off just 129 deliveries against Goa in Alur. The right-hander scored 20 fours and ten sixes in his sublime knock of 212 runs. The flamboyant batsman played at the top of his game to bring up his maiden List A century.

Sanju eclipsed Pakistan’s Abid Ali 209* to score the highest-ever List A score by a wicketkeeper in a match. Ali had scored 209* for Islamabad against Peshawar in Pakistan’s National One Day Cup.

Samson’s 212 is also the third highest List A score in India and fourth by an Indian. His majestic double ton helped him own the new highest score in the Vijay Hazare Trophy by an individual, as he surpassed KV Kaushal of Uttarakhand, who scored 202 against Sikkim last year.

Samson has been in sublime form for Kerala in the domestic games, as he has amassed 379 runs in six games of the Vijay Hazare Trophy so far. In addition, he also scored a brilliant 48-ball 91 against South Africa A side in the one-day series last month.

India legend Sunil Gavaskar had said that if India have to look beyond even Pant, then Keralas Sanju Samson is the right man. "If I need to have an alternate option, then I will think of Sanju Samson because Sanju is a good keeper as well as a good batsman," Gavaskar had told India Today.

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