“We are not machines, we are not robots, external noise affects us”: Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson (Image: ANI) NEW DELHI: Over the years, Sanju Samson has learned to live with the scrutiny that comes with playing for India. On Tuesday, after his 57 off 22 balls against Afghanistan in the second T20I, he admitted that the noise from outside gets in – even though his preferred reaction is to shut it out.“I try to turn off the Wi-Fi. But sometimes the Wi-Fi turns on and the comments become visible,” Samson said after India’s seven-wicket win. “Some senior player is saying something. So I think it’s very normal.”Samson’s innings, in which 52 of his 57 runs hit boundaries, came at a time when his place at the top of India’s T20I order is under scrutiny. The emergence of 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has added another layer to the competition for the two opening slots alongside Abhishek Sharma. Sooryavanshi impressed in India’s recent tour of Zimbabwe, while Samson was left out of the series after failing to convert his opportunities in the previous Ireland-England series.“External noise definitely affects cricketers in India,” Samson said. “But you have to be clear about what your mindset is, how you have to prepare and what mindset you have to play with.”“I think I’m mature enough and experienced enough to know how to handle it. It used to hurt a little bit. I’m not a machine. We’re not robots that we can say, ‘No, it’s not about me.’ It definitely affects you,” he said.“If I paid attention to those things, I wouldn’t be able to hit like that,” Samson said. “I would think ten times before the shot, ‘Aha, ven ho gaya toh phir Wi-Fi problem ho jayega.’ Instead I say to myself: Koi baat nahi.This mindset becomes especially important when Samson finds himself vying for space with a teenager who has quickly pushed his way into the conversation. However, Samson said he does not see Sooryavanshi as a rival in the dressing room.“I think they (Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma) are competitors to the outside world, but we are a team and we are playing for the country,” he said. “We want to win the game first and then it comes down to the others.”Samson also said that his experience as an IPL captain has helped him understand why difficult selection calls need to be made. He admitted that the management has a difficult task in choosing among the players who perform, while stressing that individuals must remain ready for their opportunities rather than delaying selection decisions.“We cannot sulk or be in a negative frame of mind, ‘Yaar, mujhe nahi mila, usko kyun diya. Such ways of thinking don’t work here,” he said.