"I am not going to think if I get out what’s going to happen" - Sanju Samson says captaincy hasn't changed his approach
Rajasthan Royals skipper Sanju Samson has said that he doesn’t feel any extra pressure being the senior batter of the team in the absence of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes. Samson reckons that all the pressure alleviates once he enters the ground and then it’s all about handling the bowlers.
The Royals were dealt a serious blow before the start of the second leg of the IPL with Stokes and Buttler pulling out. This has left them with a relatively young batting unit.
Speaking to the Khaleej Times, Sanju Samson stated that he doesn’t think about what is going to happen if he gets out while batting in the middle.
“Once you are inside the ground, there are situations to deal with, there are bowlers to deal with. If there is a bowler you have to hit out of the park, you have to hit him out of the park. I am not going to think about who is going to come up next or if I get out, what’s going to happen. The risk is very high in this format, so at the same time, the reward is also very nice.”
The wicketkeeper-batter believes that the T20 format is a high risk, high reward game and he has always enjoyed taking risks. Sanju Samson said his ascendancy to captaincy hasn’t changed approach one bit.
“I think the risk is worth taking, my game has been the same, it should remain the same actually. The captaincy should never change the way I play. I would like to go out and dominate few matches, I might get out and I might win few matches, so that’s as simple as that.”
"The players who are not playing, have to be happy, they have to be treated equally" - Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson pointed out that at least 13-14 players in the squad may end up making no appearances the whole season. Hence, it is important to maintain the spirits up in the dressing room and keep the youngsters happy, said Samson.
“I very honestly tell them about our plans as a team when they are expected to play and when they are not expected to play. I think 13-14 players don’t end up playing any games. So the atmosphere really plays a huge role. The players who are not playing, have to be happy, they have to be treated equally among the players who are playing," Sanju Samson said.
Rajasthan Royals will play their first match in the second leg of the IPL against the Punjab Kings on September 21 at the Dubai International Stadium.