After two consecutive centuries, ‘keeper-batter credits new-found consistency to increased clarity from team management
Sanju Samson is just 50 international matches old. It has taken him forever to hold on to a consistent spot in the white-ball formats.
Now, however, with two centuries in his last two T20Is – that too in contrasting conditions – Samson is finally close to raising his career prospects a notch.
Samson burst on to the scene as a teenager in the IPL a decade ago but ever since, has been parrying questions about translating his potential to performance.
“Success comes along with failure and doubt. People ask many questions and you ask yourself many questions. So, if I am getting a match like this, I think it’s been worth the wait of these 9-10 years. I’m very happy with what’s happening now,” Samson told the broadcasters after dismantling the South African attack in Durban on Friday night.
Vikram Rathour, India’s batting coach till the triumphant T20 World Cup campaign this year, attributes Samson’s struggles to not getting a solid run with the Indian team.
“To be fair to him, he only got to play if someone was rested or with the second-string sides. One felt he was trying too hard to impress and outdo himself,” Rathour told TOI.
Samson turns 30 on Sunday. He only still got to play in India’s last six T20Is because a lot of the first-choice players – designated T20I vice-captain Shubman Gill, Yashashvi Jaiswal and regular wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant – were busy with Test assignments.
However, it is now apparent head coach Gautam Gambhir wants a very different T20 setup going forward.
“While playing in the Duleep Trophy, Suryakumar Yadav came to me and said, ‘You have the next seven matches. You’ll be opening in these seven matches and I’ll back you no matter what.’ For the first time in my career, I received such clarity, and that gave me confidence,” Samson said.
Samson had four ordinary outings after the T20 World Cup but the team is now reaping the rewards of persisting with him.
Rathour offered some insight into what turned him around as a player. “He has become calm in the last year or so. He never complained when he didn’t get games and he was so calm even during the T20 World Cup.
“Captaining Rajasthan Royals has also helped him understand the needs of a team and what he needed to make an impact on a game,” Rathour said.
Samson has been an IPL superstar for most part of the last decade but maybe his sporadic selections contributed to his inconsistency at the international level.
Samson himself talked about how his experience of travelling around the globe with India ‘A’ and the Indian team helped him get going in Durban straightaway.
Rathour pointed out a critical feature in his game. “He has the power to hit big down the ground. He plays fast bowling well and can take them down in front of the wicket. When you have such power to hit down the ground, you don’t need to try the fancy shots behind the wicket using the pace of the bowlers.
“He has realised that he doesn’t have to rely on reverse-sweeps or laps. That increases his percentages of playing a big innings. Even Virat Kohli did that in the T20 format,” Rathour, who will work with Samson at Rajasthan Royals as a batting coach, said.
The Test debacle aside, the selectors and Gambhir are clear about grooming T20 specialists for the next T20 World Cup in 2026.
As of now, bilateral T20Is series are more like trial rounds for the players. It will be interesting to see where they fit Samson once Gill, Jaiswal and Pant are available again for the shortest format.