"Let it settle, don't fight it" - Kumar Sangakkara's advice to Sanju Samson
Former Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara believes Sanju Samson will do well for India in the T20Is against Sri Lanka, provided he plays his natural game and doesn't think much about his future in the team.
Samson has been in and out of the Indian side for a while now, and many feel that it may have affected his game, psychologically. However, Sangakkara, who is also Rajasthan Royals (RR) head coach, has worked closely with the RR skipper and knows exactly what the latter is capable of.
Talking to Star Sports, here's what Kumar Sangakkara had to say about Sanju Samson:
“The one thing he shouldn't do is think that this is his final chance to prove his mettle and try and be desperate to succeed. He's got every single thing going for him. He's a wonderful young man, he's got skills and temperament.
"Let it settle, don't fight it, make sure you're adjusting to what comes at you on the day. And then, go out there and enjoy the way he plays.”
Sangakkara claimed that even if Samson gets to bat in the lower-middle order, he still has the game to deliver whatever the Indian team requires of him. On this, the legend added:
"He might have to bat outside position depending on where they want him to fit in. Whether he's batting at the top or lower-middle order at 5 and 6, he's got the game, the power, the touch, the placement and the mentality to do really well."
Ind vs SL: A chat with Champions twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1…
Sangakkara wants Sanju Samson to enjoy his cricket
Sangakkara believes Sanju Samson has exceptional talent and wants him to showcase his skills rather than think too much about whether the output will be positive or negative. He explained:
"You can still enjoy your cricket irrespective of your results as long as you play well. As long as you play the level of skill that you have. And that's an absolute truism when it comes to Sanju. If he can play at the level of skill that he has, he's going to enjoy his cricket.
"It's a wonderful opportunity for him and the fans who can see what things this young man can do because he's a very special talent."
What a picture - Sanju Samson batting in front of his wall painting in Thiruvananthapuram during the Ranji Trophy match. https://t.co/iskJuqfucc
India’s squad for Sri Lanka T20Is: Hardik Pandya (C), Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (VC), Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Sanju Samson, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Harshal Patel, Umran Malik, Shivam Mavi, Mukesh Kumar.