Sanju Samson addressed the competition for the opening slot in the Indian T20I team after playing a match-winning 57-run knock off 22 balls in the second match of the three-game series against Afghanistan on Tuesday. The right-handed batter added that he understands the task at hand for the team management, comprising skipper Shreyas Iyer and head coach Gautam Gambhir, and how the duo are spoilt for choice.
The first two T20Is against Afghanistan saw Samson and Abhishek Sharma start as openers, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi relegated to the bench despite winning the Player of the Series award against Zimbabwe. Samson failed to get going in the opener, scoring 10 runs off eight balls, but he answered his critics in style, smashing a whirlwind half-century in the second T20I, helping India gain an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.
“I think they (Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma) are competitors for the outside world, but we are a team, and we are playing for a country. We want to win the game first, and then it comes down to the other individuals. We can’t sulk or be in a negative frame of mind, thinking, ‘Yaar, mujhe nahi mila, usko kyun diya.’ Those kinds of mindsets don’t work here,” Samson told reporters in the post-match press conference.
Samson also had a cheeky take on how he ignores the outside noise about the team selection. Speaking about the opinions of people, the batter said, “I try to switch the Wi-Fi off. But sometimes the Wi-Fi gets switched on, and comments become visible. Some senior player says something. So I think it’s very normal.”
“Definitely, outside noise does affect cricketers in India. But you need to be very clear about your mindset, how you need to prepare, and the mindset you need to play with,” he added.
Dealing with pressure
Earlier, after winning the T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament, Samson failed to set the stage on fire in the two T20Is against Ireland and one against England, leading to his being dropped. Sooryavanshi was then tried for three games before Samson regained his place for the fifth and final match against England.
However, Samson was then kept out of the squad for the Zimbabwe series, and this led to Sooryavanshi wreaking havoc, scoring 151 runs in three games.
After the win against Afghanistan, Samson added that he has matured over time and learned how to handle pressure.
“I think I have been mature enough and experienced enough to know how to handle it. Earlier, it used to hurt a little. I’m not a machine. We are not robots, that we can say, ‘No, it doesn’t affect me.’ Definitely, it affects you,” said Samson.
“If I paid attention to those things, I couldn’t bat like this. Before hitting a shot, I would think ten times, ‘Yaar, out ho gaya toh phir Wi-Fi problem ho jayega.’ So instead, I tell myself, ‘Koi baat nahi’,” he added.
