Sanju Samson reflected upon life just before the COVID-19 pandemic made him frustratingly sit at home instead of being out there, claiming for a place in India's T20 World Cup campaign in Australia.
The 25-year-old prodigiously talented right-hand batsman from Kerala made his comeback to the Indian side nearly five years after making his debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe and played versus Sri Lanka, New Zealand. That, on the back of some really good form shown at the domestic level and in the IPL for Rajasthan Royals (RR).
Read Also: Sanju Samson recalls when Rahul Dravid asked him “Would you play for my team?”
There were times when people doubted whether Samson would ever be able to add to his tally of India caps, but the youngster never gave up and kept pushing the door.
He talked about his resurgence in an interview with the Times of India.
"I made my debut in 2015 against Zimbabwe. Then I got a big space where I spent around four to five seasons playing IPL and playing domestic cricket. I think those times were very important in my career and life," Samson said.
"Those five years have been really important for me. I changed my game accordingly and then I tried to excel. The base has been made in these five years. I think mentally I've been very strong and I have realised what type of a person I am and what type of a cricketer I am. I have understood my strengths and weaknesses in these five years."
"So, I used it to build myself to an international standard where I can play and perform and win matches for the Indian team. So, that's how I consider these years," he added.
When the pandemic is over and life returns to normalcy, Samson will be competing for a spot in the first-choice T20I XI with his good friend Rishabh Pant, who himself will be raring to go, having been looked past for the tour of New Zealand in preference of KL Rahul in his new dual role.
Samson, however, isn't thinking along those lines and wishes to do whatever role he is given by the team management.
"I think it all depends on the team combination," said the man, who opened in two innings against the Black Caps while Rahul kept wickets. "I never thought about all these lines (competition with Rishabh Pant). As a cricketer when you're competing or when you're trying to get into a sport, if you have an eye on other players - I don't think that's the way to play your cricket."
"Rishabh and I started playing for Delhi Daredevils in the IPL and we spent a lot of time together. We are really good friends. He is a talented player. We really enjoyed playing together. I've played a lot of innings with him. I remember one match we played for Delhi Daredevils against the Gujarat Lions. We hammered sixes all over the park and chased down 200 plus. I still relish that partnership with Pant."
"Whenever people talk to me about my competition with Pant, I like to think about me and him playing together. Not just play, we also have a lot of fun together," Samson added.
"I think it will be a really good thing - we are known to dominate bowlers and we have done it in the past as well. So, I always look forward to playing with Pant. I don't consider myself competing with him."
Almost a year before making his debut in Harare, Samson was picked for the limited-overs leg of the tour of England where he played back-up to the great MS Dhoni, the captain of India at the time. Just spending time with such a legendary figure and talking cricket with him, Samson says, was an amazing learning experience.
"I learnt a lot from Mahi bhai. Even if you watch two matches of him playing on the TV, you can learn a lot of things from him. He has been one of the smartest brains in world cricket."
"If you see how he (Dhoni) manages his innings, how his temper is, how he changes his batting style as per the situation and formats and lots and lots of things, it is incredible. The one thing I learnt from Mahi bhai is how to be a smart cricketer. He is smart, as well as calm in tough situations. So that's what I have learned from him," Samson concluded.
(Inputs from TOI)
