Domestic season is so big, not worried about India selection
Rajasthan Royals’ Sanju Samson has had a dream start to the 2018 edition of the IPL. Out of his team’s four matches this season, the 23-year-old has been named ‘Man of the Match’ twice and is also the tournament’s second-highest runscorer after Virat Kohli. The 23-year-old spoke about his form, on vanishing from the India scene after making his debut in 2015 and how Dav Whatmore helped him.
Excerpts:
Your IPL 2018 campaign has taken off brilliantly. How would you rate your performance?
It feels good to contribute to the team’s success. It matters when your team wins and you contribute. But the tournament has just started, so it is important for me to keep focusing on scoring runs and helping my team get some good scores on the board.
You have been praised of late by Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers...
It feels amazing when people like Virat and de Villiers praise you. I have to thank IPL for giving me a chance every year to come and play in front of these legends. It is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, I feel blessed that I am able to compete against the best in the world. Playing with the best brings out the best in me. My goal is to maximise the potential God has given me.
It has been three years since you debuted for India in 2015 in a T20 vs Zimbabwe. Since then the door to the India team has been shut for you.
I don’t see myself making a return to any team. I don’t want to see the future or my past. Those things are not in your control. When I got selected in 2015, I never thought I was going to be picked. The thing which is in my control is my fitness and cricketing skills. Opportunities are always there. If you are not playing for
India then it is Kerala. The domestic season is so big, plus you have the IPL I am not worried about selections.
What has been (Kerala Ranji coach) Dav Whatmore’s role in shaping your career?
When you are in the
IPL or international setup things are easier. People, the management, understand you and give you your own space to express yourself inside and outside the ground. But when we go back to domestic cricket people don’t really understand you. There are many coaches who have come and gone. Having Dav Whatmore for the last one year has been like fresh air. We are able to express, talk things and play the way we want to. He has helped me be myself. The first thing he told me was, ‘I just want you to play like Sanju Samson. If you want to hit a six off the first ball then go do it.’ So he gave me freedom and space. I hope that Kerala Cricket Association keeps him for many years.
JAIPUR:
How easy or difficult is to switch formats so regularly?
It is important to keep on changing your style of play according to the format you are playing in. But experience teaches you. I try and learn from my experiences.