‘You see a 15-year-old boy’: Sanju Samson opens up on being dumped for Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sanju Samson (Image Agency) Sanju Samson offered a candid look at the outside noise and his rivalry with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s omission from India’s playing XI against Afghanistan, insisting that competition between players cannot come at the expense of the team’s larger goal.Samson and Abhishek Sharma started India’s first two T20Is against Afghanistan, leaving Sooryavanshi on the bench despite the teenager being named player of the series in Zimbabwe.While Samson managed just 10 off eight balls in the series opener, he responded emphatically in the second match as India thrashed Afghanistan by seven wickets, smashing 57 from just 22 balls to take an unassailable 2-0 lead.After the win, Samson stressed that players must put the interests of the team ahead of individual disappointment when deciding on the playing XI.“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. We want to win the game first and then it comes down to other individuals. We can’t sulk or be in a negative frame of mind, ‘Yaar, mujhe nahi mila, usko kyun diya.’ Those kinds of mindsets don’t work here,” Samson told reporters at the post-match press conference.

Samson explains Sooryavanshi’s inclusion

Samson also acknowledged why Sooryavanshi was given the opportunity after his own struggles in the previous series, pointing out that selection decisions are often dictated by form and the need to win matches.“As I said earlier, playing for the Indian team and scoring runs is not an easy thing. You see a 15-year-old boy who has come in after scoring 700-800 runs. Before that, I was Player of the Tournament. Then they performed so well and he had to come in a different way,” Samson said.“I didn’t perform for two to three games and he was in form. We wanted to win games in this series and from a management point of view it was very understandable,” he added.Samson’s comments came after a period when even his place in the T20I side was under scrutiny. After being named player of the tournament for the T20 World Cup, he struggled for Ireland in the first two matches and played the first T20I in England before being dropped.Sooryavanshi subsequently got three chances before Samson returned for England’s fifth and final T20I. Samson was then left out of India’s Zimbabwe series, where Sooryavanshi made the most of his chances, scoring 151 runs in three matches and winning the Player of the Series award.

‘Trying to turn off Wi-Fi’

The Indian opener also revealed how he tries to avoid being influenced by outside opinions and joked that he tries to disconnect from the constant discussions surrounding team selection.“I try to turn off the Wi-Fi. But sometimes the Wi-Fi turns on and the comments become visible. Some older player says something. So I think it’s very normal.”“External noise definitely affects cricketers in India. But you have to be clear about your mindset, how you have to prepare and the mindset you have to play with,” he added.Samson admitted that criticism and selection debates can still affect players, but said the experience has helped him cope better with the pressure.“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 to say, ‘No, it’s not about me.’ It definitely affects you,” Samson said.“If I paid attention to those things, I wouldn’t be able to bat like that. Before I hit, I’d think ten times, ‘Oh, it’s a Wi-Fi problem, hey jayega.’ So instead I say, ‘Koi baat nahi’,” he added.

What was the most impressive aspect of India’s recent performance against Afghanistan?

More than 3,000 users shared the opinion today

More than 5,000 users have already voted today

More than 3,000 users shared the opinion today

Share an opinion

Samson leads India to series win

Samson’s 57 was his first T20I half-century since the T20 World Cup final, where he was named player of the tournament.He smashed four sixes and seven fours against Afghanistan while Abhishek contributed 39 off 19 balls. The pair raced to 88 off just 38 deliveries before India completed the chase with 163/3 in 14.5 overs.Earlier, Nitish Reddy’s 3/24 helped restrict Afghanistan to 159/8. India won by seven wickets for the second consecutive match at the same venue to take a 2-0 lead with one match remaining.