Sanju Samson has disclosed that he turned off his phone for the past 2-3 months to concentrate exclusively on his cricket, aiming for a spot in the T20 World Cup squad. The Kerala cricketer’s dedication paid off, as Sanju Samson secured a place in the 15-member India squad for the ICC event.
In the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year, Sanju Samson has shown some promising signs. His performance in the last five matches leading up to May 24th has had scores of 10, 17, 86, 15 and 0. There have been glimpses of his talent, particularly with a well-played 86-run knock. This strong showing in the IPL is a major reason he was selected for the Indian squad participating in the upcoming T20 World Cup in June 2024.
Sanju Samson’s international career has been a journey of promise and waiting for his moment to shine. Despite being a talented wicket-keeper batsman, he hasn’t quite been able to cement his place in the Indian team consistently. Samson’s international debut came in 2015 in a T20 match against Zimbabwe. He was included in squads on several occasions after that, but finding a place in the playing XI proved difficult.
This was partly due to the presence of established wicket-keepers like MS Dhoni and Rishabh Pant. In 2021, Samson finally got his chance in ODIs against Sri Lanka. He impressed with a fighting fifty on debut but couldn’t replicate that form consistently in the T20 series that followed. This inconsistency, particularly in T20s where his international average is below 20, has unfortunately kept him on the fringes of the national team.
What Sanju Samson Said
In a video on Star Sports, the 29-year-old discussed the intense hard work behind his selection for the T20 World Cup, set to take place in the West Indies and the United States from June 1 to June 29. Acknowledging that he needed to do something extraordinary to be chosen, Samson said,
“It (World Cup selection) was very emotional one. It was something which I didn’t expect much actually to be very honest. I knew that I was not very close to being selected. I knew that I had to do something really special in this IPL to get there. That’s where I decided. I have to put my phone away. I think I am totally cut out from my phone. My phone is off from last 2-3 months,”
“I have to completely focus on my game. I have to completely give myself the best chance to go out there and perform and win games for my team, so that it can help me get into the Indian team for the World Cup. Getting selected to the world’s best T20 team and that also for a World Cup actually deserves something special,”
Leading the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024, Samson smashed 531 runs in 15 innings, averaging 48.27 with a strike rate of 153.47. He ended the tournament as the fifth-highest run-scorer.
Sanju Samson’s Confidence of Good Show in T20 World Cup
Being selected for the World Cup is one thing, but performing on the big stage is another challenge altogether. However, Samson is confident that, having cleared the selection hurdle, he can significantly contribute to the team’s success in the upcoming ICC event.
“I knew I had it in me. It’s all about believing in my own self, believing that things can change, believing that if I do justice to my own talent, to my own potential,”
“I think I can be really useful for my country as well on the world’s biggest stage. I think I am ready for it and I really feel that I can contribute well for my country,”
Samson has featured in 16 ODIs and 25 T20Is for India, accumulating 510 and 374 runs respectively, with averages of 56.66 and 18.70. His strike rate in T20Is stands at 133.09.