Former South Africa cricketer AB de Villiers has expressed his pleasure on the return of Sanju Samson to India's T20I squad for the Afghanistan series. Team India takes on the Afghan contingent in a 3-match T20I series starting January 11.

De Villiers, a celebrated Protea legend has frequently expressed his admiration for the Rajasthan Royals skipper. after having watched him play for the Royals in the IPL. In a segment on his YouTube channel, de Villiers lauded Sanju's long-standing performance for Rajasthan Royals and his return to the national squad. (Play from 9.50)

Sanju's versatility in the batting lineup, capable of playing in the top four positions, adds significant value to the Indian squad, especially with key players like Suryakumar Yadav and Hardik Pandya sidelined due to injuries. His role in the team could extend to wicketkeeping, competing for the spot with Jitesh Sharma.

This isn't the first time Mr. 360 has been vocal about backing Sanju. Ahead of India's tour of South Africa, de Villiers had discussed the Indian squads for the series on his channel. He had been optimistic about Samson's potential on South African pitches, noting his batting style and the additional wicketkeeping option he offers. This assessment proved on point as Samson scored his first ODI century in Paarl.

Watch Sanju Samson making a special fan's day:

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