Sanju Samson: After New Zealand series, I thought my dreams were shattered
Samson’s remarkable comeback earned him Player of the Tournament award at T20 World Cup
Dubai: T20 World Cup champions star cricketer Sanju Samson said there was a time when he felt his dreams were falling apart before he fought his way back into contention.
After the New Zealand series before the T20 World Cup, Samson said he felt broken in which he struggled to score with the bat. He took time to process his emotions, isolating himself for four to five days.
Samson scripted a comeback for ages, as he overcame poor form and exclusion from the playing XI to shine when everything was at stake. Having scored just 46 runs in five innings against New Zealand before this tournament, Samson lost his place in the team to Ishan Kishan. Samson’s remarkable comeback earned him the Player of the Tournament award in the T20 World Cup, and he scored 321 runs in five matches.
Samson scripted history and became a household name in India for his remarkable exploits in the showpiece event.
Reflecting on that period, Samson said, “It was in my mind, but when we were playing the World Cup in the West Indies a year and a half ago, I was thinking, visualising and practising to do something like this. But after the New Zealand series, I thought my dreams were shattered. I think God had his own plans, and I’m so grateful. I was broken after the New Zealand series, and I let myself feel that I was broken. I was absolutely not moving from my bed for four to five days. I couldn’t bat. I was completely out of the system. I wasn’t happy, and I behaved like I wasn’t happy.
"I let myself feel the emotions. So, I accepted the fact that I didn’t use the opportunities I got. I was realistic with myself. I didn’t fight those emotions, and I didn’t pretend to be confident. Once I accepted the fact, I could recover a bit quicker,” Sanju Samson said on JioHotstar.
Key moment
He also shared a key moment before India’s Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe, when head coach Gautam Gambhir informed him that he would be playing the next match. “I met Gauti bhai in the gym before the Zimbabwe game, and that’s where he told me, ‘Sanju, be ready, you are going to play the next game.’ I was 100 per cent ready. In my mind, I said, ‘Yes, now let’s do the talking, this is what I was waiting for.’ But I would like to share something very honest, I don’t like to compete with my teammates in the squad. Once we are together fighting for a cause, then I bring out my best. During the New Zealand series, it was always about, ‘Will I be part of the team or not?’ I never perform well when I am fighting for places. But when the opportunity came, we were together fighting for one goal, the World Cup, so I’m glad things worked out in the end,” he added.
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