"I have to have a say" - RR captain Sanju Samson on his role during auction
Rajasthan Royals (RR) captain Sanju Samson has admitted that his opinions are being considered before picking a squad at the auction.
Incidentally, the Rajasthan franchise has mustered a strong squad, making some smart acquisitions at the IPL 2022 mega auction last month. It paid off really well in the first game as the 2008 IPL winners thrashed Sunrisers Hyderabad by 61 runs on Tuesday.
Samson asserted that having geniuses like Kumar Sangakkara on the tables helps a lot at the auction. Speaking at the post-match presentation ceremony, Sanju Samson stated:
"Yeah, absolutely, I have to have a say. Having great leaders like Sanga helps a lot. He asks me for inputs. A lot of good cricketing brains have worked to put this squad out. Every season we come with great dreams. The franchise takes care of the players and does not apply pressure like you are doing right now."
Among the 11 cricketers, a record-number of seven cricketers made their debuts for Rajasthan. Devdutt Padikkal (41 off 29) and Shimron Hetmyer (32 off 13) starred with the bat, playing blazing knocks. Trent Boult (2/23), Prasidh Krishna (2/16) and Yuzvendra Chahal (3/22) came in handly with the ball as RR secured a convincing win.
Check out who is at the top of the IPL points table 2022 here.
"I know I can make up for the slow starts" - Sanju Samson on his 55-run innings
My God @IamSanjuSamson what a talent! Cant take my eyes of your batting! #SRHvsRR
The 27-year-old cricketer from Kerala, who is known to be a rhythm player, looked in fine touch in Rajasthan's IPL 2022 opener.
When asked about off-season routines, Sanju stressed on working on his game awareness. He said:
"I have been working on my fitness and game awareness-- choosing the right shot to play. Not rushing into the shots and try spending time in the middle. I know I can make up for the slow starts."
However, he looked in a different zone today. Sanju Samson walked out after Jos Buttler gave a fine start and took the attack to the opposition right from the start. He led the IPL team from the front with 27-ball 55-run innings, including three fours and five towering sixes.
Sanju will hope to continue the momentum in the upcoming games as RR chase their second exclusive title and enter the IPL winners' list.