Last Updated:
According to Samson, captain Suryakumar Yadav gave him clarity about the batting position in September itself, which helped him prepare well for the T20I series against Bangladesh and South Africa.
Sanju Samson reveals how Suryakumar Yadav helped him prepare well for T20I matches against Bangladesh and South Africa. (Picture Credit: PTI)
Sanju Samson is in the form of his life these days. The wicketkeeper-batter from Kerala has scored two centuries in his last two T20Is to become the first Indian to achieve the milestone. He hammered 111 runs from just 47 balls in the third T20I against Bangladesh, which was played in Hyderabad on October 12, 2024, and on Friday (November 8), he smashed 107 runs from just 50 balls against South Africa at Kingsmead in Durban.
Samson’s super show with the bat helped India crush South Africa by 61 runs and take a 1-0 lead in the four-match series. After playing a big role with the bat in India’s win, Samson revealed his chat with Suryakumar Yadav during Duleep Trophy 2024 in September and revealed how Surya gave him clarity about his batting position, which helped him to prepare and do well in the recent matches.
While speaking on the Jio Cinema show after India won the series opener, Samson said, “Like I said in the last series, when I was playing in the Duleep Trophy. Surya was playing for the other team. So, in the middle of the match, Surya came to me and said, ‘Cheta, agla 7 match tera hai. You are going to open in the next 7 matches. No matter what, I will back you’.”
“For the first time in my career, I was getting clarity that, Sanju, you are getting 7 matches. So, I came with a different determination that, Sanju, you are getting 7 matches; you will have to do something. So, I think that clarity and that much confidence, if you get from the captain’s side, then it takes you to different level. The clarity was given to me a long time ago by the team management that I will open in three T20Is vs Bangladesh and four against South Africa,” he added.
According to Samson, who made his T20I debut for India in 2015 against Zimbabwe and was also part of the Rohit Sharma-led side that won the T20 World Cup title earlier this year, he is not thinking about the future and is happy that he is playing and doing well for India.
“So, let’s see. There is no need to think much further. I am playing for India in an international match. I am doing so well. So, I just want to go and contribute in some or the other manner for my country,” he added.