Sanju Samson reflects on competition for opening slot in T20Is
What's the story
After helping India win the 2nd T20I against Afghanistan, opener Sanju Samson spoke about the competition for the opening slot. Samson, who failed to deliver in the series opener, scored 57 off 22 balls, as India chased down 160 in just 14.5 overs. In the post-match press conference, he said he understands the challenges faced by team management, captain Shreyas Iyer, and head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Team spirit
Team over individual performances
The first two T20Is against Afghanistan saw Samson and Abhishek Sharma open, while Vaibhav Sooryavanshi sat out despite being the Player of the Series against Zimbabwe.
Notably, Samson was rested for the Zimbabwe tour.
Samson said, "They (Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma) are competitors for the outside world, but we are a team, and we are playing for a country."
He emphasized that winning is their top priority over individual performances.
External influence
Samson on dealing with outside opinions
Samson also spoke about how he deals with outside opinions on team selection.
He said, "I try to switch the Wi-Fi off. But sometimes the Wi-Fi gets switched on, and comments become visible."
The cricketer acknowledged that external noise can affect players but stressed the importance of having a clear mindset and preparation for performance.
Personal growth
Cricketer reflects on his journey
Reflecting on his own journey, Samson said he understands why Sooryavanshi was picked over him after his poor performances.
He said, "As I said before, playing for the Indian team and scoring runs is not an easy thing."
The cricketer stressed that running the Indian team is no easy task and acknowledged that he has matured over time to handle pressure better.
Journey
How Samson returned to the setup
Samson returned to the T20I squad for the Afghanistan series and Asian Games after being rested for the Zimbabwe tour.
He had an unimpressive UK tour, with low scores in three matches, which led to his exclusion from the team and Sooryavanshi getting a chance.
However, when Sooryavanshi also failed to perform well, Samson was included in the fifth T20I against England.
Earlier this year, the latter was the ICC T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament.