Embarrassed Samson Couldn't Make Eye Contact With Gambhir, Explains Why

With the likes of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli deciding to hang their boots in T20 internationals, a big opportunity opens up for someone like Sanju Samson who has been in and out of the team for years. In the 3rd T20I against Bangladesh, Samson showed his true colours as he slammed a century while opening the batting, sending a bold message of the true potential he holds. However, after the first two matches of the series, Samson couldn’t even make eye contact with head coach Gautam Gambhir.

Samson registered scores of 29 and 10 in the first two T20Is against Bangladesh, leaving many disappointed about the squandered opportunities. However, the wicket-keeper batter truly made his selection count in the third. In an interview, however, Samson revealed that he was hesitant to even make eye contact with Gambhir after failing to score big runs in the first two matches.

“I agree that the relationship between a coach and a player is very important. The coach trusts in your ability and you want to repay that trust by performing well for your team. In Hyderabad, I was determined and desperately wanted to show Gauti bhai that if you are backing me and giving me the chances, I won’t disappoint you,” Samson told journalist Vimal Kumar in an interview.

“In the Bangladesh T20I series, I didn’t score big in the first couple of matches and I was a bit hesitant to make eye contact with him but I told myself that apna time aayega (my time will come). So when I got that hundred in Hyderabad and the coach was clapping, I was delighted,” he added.

Samson also spoke fondly of India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav who took over the team’s leadership responsibility from Rohit Sharma. 

“I don’t know how many people are aware of this but me and Surya go a long way since we have played a lot of junior cricket together. In fact, both of us also play for BPCL and we have spent a lot of time together discussing cricket,” he said.