Dubai: ‘No one can’ and ‘no one should try’ to play like Mahendra Singh Dhoni. This is what wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson said here Tuesday. Sanju Samson rejected comparisons with the cricket great after taking the current edition of the IPL by storm with his incredible hitting prowess.
Samson cleared the boundaries at will in the last two games. It helped his franchise Rajasthan Royals (RR) beat Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Kings XI Punjab (KXIP). The match against KXIP was a record IPL chase.
After his exploits, Congress MP from Kerala’s Thiruvananthapuram, Shashi Tharoor, called Samson the next ‘MS Dhoni’.
But Samson did not think so, quite like former India player and BJP MP Gautam Gambhir.
“I am sure that no one can and no one should try to play like him (Dhoni). It’s not at all easy to play like Dhoni, so leave that aside. I never think of playing like him. He is a legend of Indian cricket, legend of the game,” Samson said.
“I only focus on my game, what I can do and how I can do it best. I ask how I can win matches for my side,” the Keralite stated. He was speaking to the media on the eve of his team’s match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) here.
Gambhir had responded to Tharoor with a clear cut theory. He said instead of striving to be the next Dhoni, the 25-year-old must try to be the Sanju Samson of Indian cricket. With his belligerent knocks of 74 and 85, Samson has again staked his claim for selection in the Indian team.
He was asked if he has done enough to attract the attention of the national selectors. “I maybe, I maybe not. The only think I know is I am in good form. My only dream is to win matches for my team, any team I play. My focus is on the IPL right now,” asserted Samson.
Samson had recently said that he has another 10 years of cricket left in him. It is a conclusion he came to after a lot of thought and an interaction with Indian captain Virat Kohli.
“I am very lucky to be a part of RR and some very good individuals, good human beings around me. I am a bit deep person and I keep on thinking about my future, also about my life, because everyone will die one day. I think I can’t play cricket after 10-12 years,” he said.
“I used to meet Virat bhai in the gym when I was in the Indian team. I kept on asking him different things. When he asked me how many years you are going to be play and I said ‘10’. He told me ‘then give everything to these 10 years. Then you can have your favourite food from Kerala after that. So I am really dedicated to give my best for the next 10-12 years,” added Samson.
Samson said playing most of his cricket in Kerala and Jaipur has helped him in adapting to the hot and humid conditions of the UAE better. “I am in a very good space mentally. I have worked closely with our video analyst for four to five months and that really helped me improve,” he stated.