Here is the full excerpt from Sanju Samson’s press conference in Mumbai after the India vs England T20 World Cup semi-final.
(Reporter:)
Sanju, do you think that all the hard work from Trivandrum carrying your creed and all have been rewarded through these two knocks. And also did last match knock had a huge impact on this knock.
(Sanju Samson:)
So, first of all, yes, it feels really great or really relieved that I have been actually from a few years trying to do something like this for my country. So just waiting with a lot of patience, a lot of inner work, a lot of training, a lot of practice. I think, yeah, so definitely I should be very grateful, but I kind of feel that we have one more step to go. If we do that, then I think all the work, everything was worth it. So I feel that one more innings should be really good. And yes, I think last innings definitely played a good role in this innings as well. So I know that I was timing the ball really well, I was taking good decisions. I thought that if you are in form, you should definitely contribute for your team in this game as well. So that’s how I prepared for today and things came on very nicely today.
(Reporter:)
Sanju, the last nine months were really difficult for you. You moved down the batting order. And then you came up again in New Zealand series. And then there was pressure on you. The runs didn’t come. Eventually, initially for the World Cup, you didn’t make it to the playing XI. Finally, you did get your chance. So during that really difficult time, how did you stay motivated because in Indian cricket the chances don’t come that easily?
(Sanju Samson:)
Yes, I think that was very challenging for me. I think I definitely wanted to come and do what I am trying to do now for the country, contribute, and win games in the World Cup. But I think I was trying a bit too much in the New Zealand series, I wanted to make an impact and get into the 11 of the World Cup here. But I think you know this format, I think this cricket can get very funny, Even the best in the world actually struggle to score runs in this format. So I think I had to respect the game. I had to come back to my basics, work a bit more from my basics. I think a lot of work did go really well. I think when hard times were coming, I think my close people, the people whom I love, whom I support, they were with me and I closed all my windows, I shut down my phone, I was not in social media, I am still not in social media, so less noise, less people interacting with me, so I think that really helped me to focus on the right direction and I am very happy how I am going.
(Reporter:)
You spoke about insecurities creeping in, self-doubt creeping in in Kolkata. What is the difference in terms of your approach because you were chasing the target, what you had to do. Here, dew factor a lot of variables coming in? How did you approach that? And you’re finally going to be playing in a T20 World Cup final. You missed out last time. What that means?
(Sanju Samson:)
Yeah, it means really one of the best moments in my life is happening, so I’m very grateful for that. And yeah, I think I’ve been playing this format for a very long time. I have played around 300 or 400 T20s. I have played from top 1 to 6. I have captained a franchise. I kind of have the experience of knowing what does a team demand at the moment and what is the exact role of myself in this 11. So I think that clarity definitely helps you to score runs the way you want to. And last match was all about I think taking the team along. I think as soon as we build a momentum, I think wickets were falling in the last game, so I had to finish it off till the last ball but this game was completely different when you are batting first in Wankhede, you know that no score is enough here so I just wanted to after I got a start I wanted to capitalize on as many as sixes or fours I could possibly hit for the team.
(Reporter:)
The last two innings that you played, you almost missed 100 in both those. The innings that you played in Delhi, it was a very small innings but the entire World Cup was at risk at that time. How important was that? Because you were playing attacking even then. And even after that also you played a small role in the next match. The burden of expectations on Sanju Samon for so many days, which has been going on for 10-15 years, now it seems to have been over.
(Sanju Samson:)
I haven’t missed two centuries, making 97 and 89 was a big deal. No, I’m very, very, very grateful for that. So it’s going on. You’ve been seeing my game for many years. You’ve probably been following it for a long time. If I’m feeling good, I try to give a great start for my team. Nowadays you know that in powerplay only the match is made and spoiled. So as soon as you get 3-4 balls, you try to attack. Like Abhishek is doing, Ishan is doing and I am doing. So top 3 is all about going and exploding in the powerplay. So sometimes you actually end up on the negative side of the result. Sometimes you do this, actually. You can’t but change your character or change the game plan. Because we are batting till number eight. Or batting very deep. So we need to play as per the needs of the team. If you are having a good day, play till the end or else support the others.
(Reporter:)
Are you feeling lighter? The burden?
(Sanju Samson:)
One more match, then I’ll feel very light.
(Reporter:)
Sanju, today, it was 499 runs, but the margin of victory was only 7 runs. When you did your work with batting, after that, when you were keeping, when that different view comes, and when Jacob Bethell was hitting in the middle overs, how were you reading the game situation at that time? And what did you feel at that time, How should the game slip or how did it slip today? that the margin was so less, and if you can sum up the conditions today?
(Sanju Samson:)
I don’t know. T20 cricket is going somewhere else. I don’t know. Earlier, we lost 3 wickets in powerplay. They were definitely trying to come hard at us. Then we got 3 wickets in powerplay. Then I thought, okay, we got some game. But the way Bethel batted and the partnership which they had, I kind of felt here, no, it’s still possible. They needed 13 runs per and over. They were getting two boundaries every over. It was very easy for them at the middle stage. But the way our bowlers came back, I think the quality which we have in Arshdeep, in Hardik and Bumrah – he is a once in a generation bowler which we are very lucky to have. I think the way he bowled those 6 Yorkers in line, I think then you have kind of a confidence that no – Bumrah has one over left and Arshdeep has one over left, he will bowl. So there was confidence, but at the same time you have to give credit to the England batters also the way they came up, the way they actually studied the condition and I think we had a great game.
(Reporter:)
Sanju, when you were dropped today, what did you think, what was playing on your mind, did you think that a 100 is round the corner now, now that I have got a life?
(Sanju Samson:)
Yes, ma’am. I have been very unlucky. And luck also works sometimes. So I was very fortunate that yes, I got one in my favour so took it quietly. So yeah, I was very fortunate. But you can’t actually – many times before also my catch has been dropped. So I don’t think much about the catches, it was a ball to hit, so I hit it – the catch was missed – No problem. Next time I’ll hit it a little harder. So you keep it very simple. I think you don’t think about a lot of things at that moment. No, where to hit the bowler, how to calculate, your mind is always in that process.
(Reporter:)
Today, can you tell us something about the pitch – from both the sides. The bowlers have been badly beaten today – it’s not that easy. Almost 500 runs were scored. So what would you say – How was the pitch in the first inning? Or it was almost similar?
(Sanju Samson:)
Yeah, almost similar. We knew it. We were talking in the dressing room whether there will be dew in the second innings or not. But whether it came or not – the wicket was looking very good before the toss. Even the covering of grass, I think it was a very true wicket. I think after the first over, Abhishek and I were talking about how good the wicket was. Abhishek was saying after the power play that we should have at least put in 250. That was the wicket. So I think definitely it was a high scoring game and both of the teams played really well.
(Reporter:)
Sanju, you’ve had a few battles with Jofra Archer in the past. Sometimes he’s got the better of you today – you got dropped off his bowling, but you hit some huge boundaries off him as well. Tell us a little bit about that battle and how you prepared for it and how you think it went?
(Sanju Samson:)
Yeah, I think it was definitely playing in my mind. Last time when we played them in home conditions, five games we played England, I think Jofra was definitely a very effective bowler at that time. So I had to do some preparation. I had to be a bit more clear in my head how I’m going to face it. And then I think I tried to apply today. So he is definitely a world-class bowler. You need to respect what he does and at the same time you need to be confident as well. I think I was a bit more confident that I just played a really good innings couple of days ago. So I think I need to take that confidence forward and that kind of helped me to tackle the bowlers today.
(Reporter:)
Sanju, you hit sixes so effortlessly, what is the secret behind it? And you work with Zubin Barucha before every series, before the tournament. So can you tell us how much help you get from him?
(Sanju Samson:)
Definitely, a lot of help and we keep working together. A lot of people are connected to us. Mr. Zubin is connected to us. Definitely, a lot of people are helping me. And those kind of support and practice definitely helps to come and contribute here.
(Reporter:)
And what would you say about your sixes?
(Sanju Samson:)
See the ball and hit hard – it will go, what can I say?
(Reporter:)
Can you talk about Bethell from standing behind the wickets and the way he was looking at the situation and reading the situation, especially his contest against Varun. Even at the end you ran up to Dubey and said something because it was a very vital last six balls. Can you talk about Bethel and more importantly how he was weeding Varun?
(Sanju Samson:)
Okay, yeah I think first of all it’s a bit very hard job for a spinner to bowl the sixth over in the power play where there is nothing much in the wicket and batsmen are trying to swing and they are trying to get maximum out of that in the powerplay. So I think credit has to go to Varun to take up that challenge and still be positive and do what he does actually. So, Bethel and the quality of batters which we have in this international cricket and more than the skill level they have. I think now that fearless approach which has come in, I think the wickets like Wankhede it gets a bit tough for the bowlers to come and do their job but it is just a matter of getting couple of sixes less hitting. I think that is where we are trying to work on as a unit and yeah I think that’s what I feel. It’s better to be a batsman nowadays.
(Reporter:)
Sanju, you mentioned about reliance on Arshdeep and Bumrah in the 17th and 18th, but can you just give a sense about the discussions that were going on about whether to use both of them in the 17th and 19th or use them at the end of the?
(Sanju Samson:)
Yeah, I think the game was going neck to neck and they were trying to actually get 13s, 15s in an over. But I think we knew that if we take the game till the end, I think they might actually get heavy on us. So I think we just wanted to finish off the game a bit earlier. So I think that’s where we tried to bowl Bumrah and Arshdeep and Hardik in those three overs and that definitely played well today.
(Reporter:)
Sanju, you just said that cricket is such a leveller, sometimes the top batsmen have a problem with form and run scoring is different. So as a fellow opener, Abhishek is now going through the same phase which you have gone through recently. So what do you think in this phase, I know it’s a bit individual choices, but what is the most important thing for a player? Like you said you shut down from the social media, shut down the outside noise. Do you want security from the team? What is actually the primary requirement at this point?
(Sanju Samson:)
We are taking care of all our players. We have a really great environment in the dressing room. Both of our leaders, GG and Surya, have a lot of faith and confidence in Abhishek. We try to help him in the way he actually requires. I think he has definitely gone through lots of ups and downs in his career. So he’s also trying to find a way out and we all are with him. And I think it’s just a matter of a couple of hits, six hits in the middle and everything can change in this format. I think we still believe in him and we feel that I think finally is going to be his day I think kind of feel that he’s definitely going to come really great on the last day-
