Sanju Samson: I’ve learned to cope with pressure and failures

Samson, finally, managed to build a bridge between talent and productivity while smashing a sparkling maiden T20I hundred against Bangladesh on Saturday, but the period preceding it was not really a pleasant one for him.

Sanju Samson in action. | Photo Credit: K.R Deepak / The Hindu

Sanju Samson has learned to live with the inevitable “pressure and failures” in top-flight sport, and the Indian batter profusely thanked the leadership group for guiding him through dark phases of self-doubt, giving him another chance to prove his worth.

Samson, finally, managed to build a bridge between talent and productivity while smashing a sparkling maiden T20I hundred against Bangladesh here on Saturday, but the period preceding it was not really a pleasant one for him.

Two successive ducks against Sri Lanka in July and two more tepid outings against Bangladesh over the past week here had left him creaking.

“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,” said Samson in the post-match press meet.

Now, the 29-year-old accepts the fact he cannot walk away from the pockets of pressure as an Indian cricketer.

“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 said head coach Gautam Gambhir had conveyed well in advance the decision to hand him the opener’s role during the Bangladesh series.

“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 detailed.

Samson said the role clarity has also helped him to develop more awareness about 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 made Samson more confident in himself -- as a person and as 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 man said he was trying to stay in the middle for as long as possible during the third T20I against Bangladesh here.

“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 said the presence of skipper Suryakumar at the other end was helpful for him.

“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 skipper said the Indian T20 side is looking to dominate every game.

“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.

The highlight of Samson’s innings was the five successive sixes he hammered off leg-spinner Rishad Hossain.

Samson said hitting six sixes in an over has been on his mind for a while now.

“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 signed off.