Sanju Samson, the Indian batter, has learned to embrace the pressures and setbacks that come with top-flight sport. He openly acknowledged the crucial role the leadership group played in guiding him through periods of self-doubt, giving him another chance to prove his worth. Samson’s sparkling maiden T20I hundred against Bangladesh on Saturday marked a turning point, a bridge between his undeniable talent and consistent performance. However, the path leading up to this milestone wasn’t easy. Two successive ducks against Sri Lanka in July followed by two more underwhelming outings against Bangladesh left him questioning his position in the team.
“After a couple of ducks in Sri Lanka, I was a bit doubtful about getting a chance in the next series. But they (coaching staff and captain) backed me and kept on saying that we will back you no matter what,” Samson shared in the post-match press conference.
The 29-year-old now accepts the inherent pressure that comes with being an Indian cricketer, particularly in the T20 format. “I think mentally you go through a lot as an Indian cricketer, especially in this format (T20). But I have learned to cope with the pressure and the failures. I think a lot of credit has to go to the dressing room, the leadership group, and the captain and the coach have been backing me,” he added.
Samson revealed that head coach Gautam Gambhir had informed him about his opening role in the Bangladesh series well in advance. “I think three weeks before this series, I was very fortunate to get a message from the leadership group — Gautam Bhai, Suryakumar (Yadav) and Abhishek Nair (assistant coach) — that I will be opening. I think that gave me proper preparation. “I went back to Rajasthan Royals Academy and I was playing lots against new ball bowlers, and I think that preparation helped me a tiny bit. I think I was just coming in 10% more ready in this series than any other series,” he elaborated.
This clear role definition has also helped Samson gain a deeper understanding of his own game. “Basically, I have understood my game that I can bat anywhere from 1 to 6. I think I have power and I also have timing in my game. So, it is all about working according to which role I am playing in.”
This newfound self-discovery has instilled greater confidence in Samson, both as a person and a cricketer. “When you have those failures, I think, it is very easy to go back and say I will make my run in the next game. But I know what (type of) person I am. It is all about my friends, my team. “So, I like to go out and fail or succeed in my own way. I just want to be myself. It is all about knowing your game, knowing your personal character. So, it is all about being true to yourself.”
The Kerala batsman revealed his strategy for the third T20I against Bangladesh. “I have been batting well from the last two games. I was timing the ball much better, even though I didn’t get enough scores. I think if I came out of power play, I wanted to make sure that I reach a good score. “I think scoring four consecutive boundaries (off Taskin Ahmed in the second over) definitely gave me lots of confidence,” he explained.
Samson emphasized the positive impact of sharing the crease with captain Suryakumar Yadav. “I was having a good partnership with Surya and there was great communication happening between both of us. He was also taking a lot of pressure from me and we both were scoring. I think there was a great combination happening in the middle.”
The Rajasthan Royals captain highlighted the Indian T20 team’s ambition to dominate every match. “We have committed as a batting group to go out and dominate each and every game we play in this format. So, as a team we are doing it and I am very grateful that I did something good for the team. But we were not thinking about 300 (total),” he added.
Samson’s innings were punctuated by five consecutive sixes off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain. He admitted that hitting six sixes in an over has been a goal for some time. “I know what I can do to a spinner. So, I just wanted to hit maximum runs in that over. I have been thinking that I can hit six 6s in an over. I am not joking. I have been working accordingly with my coaches. “I have been practicing and visualising for that. I am very grateful that it finally happened,” he concluded.
