‘I Don't Blame Anyone Else’: Sanju Samson On Poor Run Of Form Before Ranchi Turnaround

Sanju Samson answered pressure with an 82 off 41 balls in the second T20I against West Indies in Ranchi. He drove India to 249/5 in 20 overs after a lean run in the format.

The innings mattered because Samson had come into the match under scrutiny. In his previous four T20I knocks, he had managed 9, 7, 2 and 11. That dip had followed two half-centuries in the recent series against Afghanistan.

His counterattack put India in command at the break. But the night still turned sour later, with West Indies chasing down 250 and exposing the gap between Samson’s return to form and the final result.

The question at the mid-innings break was direct. Daren Ganga asked Samson how this innings differed from his previous four in the format.

“I did ask you, when runs are not flowing, what's the response? You did respond with a fine innings. What was the point of difference in this innings as compared to your last four in this format?” Ganga asked.

Samson told the broadcaster, “Nothing. I don't think so. I think being a professional cricketer playing for India, I think you definitely take care of the professional side of it. You do your preparation, you do your practice, you do your training, you do everything possible in your hands. But to be very honest, I think we all know that in this format, the result is not in your hands; there is only one way to go. So you can't say I've had bad three innings, so let's take some time, let's build my innings, and then we will see.”

He then tied his approach to the team’s needs. “No, there is only one way to go. I think the team is in front. My job is to give my country a great start, and I try to do that. I also take responsibility when I get out. So that's totally fine, and I'm taking the blame on myself. I don't blame anyone else for not scoring runs, actually. That's my job, and I try to do it every time I step out to the ground,” he added.

Selection Pressure

Samson’s Ranchi effort also came against a wider selection backdrop. Earlier this year, he was adjudged Player of the Series in India’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign.

Yet his place did not stay free from debate. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi’s rise made the top-order picture tighter and gave the team management another option to weigh.

That led to changes. The team management shuffled between Sooryavanshi and Samson before persisting with the pair that brought India reasonable success.