6 days ago
7
ARTICLE AD BOX
Indian wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson in action. (FILE Photo: Reuters)
Indian wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson opened up about not getting a single game during the 2024 T20 World Cup in the USA and the Caribbean Islands, where the Men In Blue had a successful campaign, winning their second ICC T20 title since 2007. Samson admitted that things were topsy-turvy and did not match his set expectations.
“Talking about 2024 T20 World Cup, I didn’t play a game. Yes, things were a bit up and down, to be very honest. It was not matching the expectations which I set,” Samson said in a video released by BCCI.tv.
“But I was still very grateful that I made it to the fifteen. My journey is so special. You never know when you’ll get the opportunity to play,” he added.
Samson was one of the three players, alongside Yashasvi Jaiswal and Yuzvendra Chahal, to not get any gametime during the 2024 T20 World Cup. Two years in, things have changed positively for the explosive batter. Samson is now one of the batting mainstays for India, and after a lot of experimentation, he has finally locked in his playing in the XI as an opener alongside Abhishek Sharma for the upcoming T20 World Cup at home.
He revealed how he made his own bubble and how his well-wishers supported him in his journey. “I think definitely a lot of ups and downs keep happening according to this format. I think we just have to keep pushing. It’s very hard not look at the outside when you are playing cricket in India and for the national team, but I made my bubble, I kept my people around m,e and I kept on focusing on all the little things, and I knew that my time would come,” said Samson.
Bond with Suryakumar
Samson shares a thick bond with Indian T20 skipper Suryakumar Yadav. He says it’s important to “have that connect” with the captain. “I have a great rapport with Surya. Having that connect with the captain is very important in this format. We keep exchanging lot of ideas, we keep asking a lot of questions. I think I’m always in the best spot to give them a good answer. My role is very clear. I just have to make a positive contribution. I just have to go out there and make a positive impact. I still feel there is a bit more to do. Actually, there is still more hunger left in me to go out there and contribute,” he said.
Samson also said it’s always challenging to come in from a state like Kerala and make it to the national side. He said: “I was just sitting down with my friend and chit chatting and I was thinking like how we wanted to play for the country and coming from Kerala and how challenging it was and then from where things are now. So, it feels very grateful for the whole journey. I feel tremendously happy and blessed to be at this situation.”
English (US) ·