Samson will lead Rajasthan Royals in the second half of IPL 2021.
The Kerala lad was left out of the Indian squad for the marquee tournament as the Chetan Sharma-led selection committee opted to go with Rishabh Pant and Ishan Kishan as wicketkeeper batsmen.
Touted as one of the most talented batsmen in India, Samson has failed to make a mark in international cricket yet. He has represented the country in 10 T20Is so far, scoring 117 runs at an average of 11.70 and a strike rate of 110.37.
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“It’s important to go into the team with a clear mind. There will be no doubts about the selection when IPL resumes. First of all, when you’re playing for an IPL team and thinking about the Indian selection, then it’s a wrong mindset,” Samson told TOI.
“People do talk about Indian selection and cementing your place but that is actually a by-product – if you perform, you get opportunities,” he added.
IPL ranks among the most followed cricketing events in the world. The competition is very intense and Samson feels that everyone’s under pressure.
“I think IPL is the most viewed tournament in the world. It will get you noticed. People do say good things about me and they also say other things as well. It’s natural for me now.
“Everyone is having that kind of pressure. And everyone goes through that kind of pressure, knowing that so many people are waiting outside anyway. That’s the reason behind Indian cricket’s success,” he said.
Rajasthan Royals, led by Sanju Samson, are occupying fifth place on the IPL 2021 points table with three wins from seven outings. They will resume their campaign against Punjab Kings (PBKS) on September 21 in Dubai.
(With TOI inputs)