Stable base, reminders of class and a chase in zen mode: How Sanju Samson unlocked his true potential

TimesofIndia.com in Kolkata: "Kotsi, I am not playing and you are asking me to bat first."

Every time India batting coach Sitanshu Kotak slotted Sanju Samson in the first set to bat in the nets, the wicketkeeper-batter would politely question the need. He wasn't in the playing XI plans, but the Indian team management ensured he stayed tuned in, and Kotak kept reminding him how good he was. The hits remained sustained and purposeful, and even without an immediate opportunity, the level of preparation stayed high.



From being India's first-choice opener to losing his spot to Shubman Gill in the Asia Cup, reclaiming it for the New Zealand series, and then seeing Ishan Kishan take his place in the World Cup, it has been a frustrating path for the 31-year-old. The build-up to what turned out to be a memorable night for Samson was typically topsy-turvy, but all that took a backseat when the right-hander crashed to his knees, spread his arms, looked at the heavens, and crossed his heart.

It was relief more than a celebration, a prayer more than a winning grunt, and it felt like the weight had finally come off his shoulders. When the arms went wide, they would have felt lighter, and the moist eyes told a story. The strongest message is delivered in the fewest words, and Samson chose none. While he was on the ground, giving photographers their perfect shot, the last ten years would have flashed before his eyes, even as the thousands in the stands distracted him with their flashlights.

Those few seconds felt like a monk saying a silent prayer of gratitude, unperturbed by the madness that had erupted at the iconic venue. Even when the players rushed out, only warm hugs followed. Captain Suryakumar Yadav took off his cap and bowed down to his opener, who played a terrific knock in a run-chase under pressure. Sanju steered India home with his steely 50-ball 97*. Every cricketer lives for moments like these. Having seen senior pros Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma do it numerous times for the country, Samson simply absorbed their lessons and applied them to the match situation.

"I think playing IPL for around 10 to 12 years and playing for the country for the last 10 years, I have not been playing consistently, but looking from the dugout, learning from the greats like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, and all the greats, I think it’s very important to observe and learn and see what they were doing. I think that really helped me. With my experience, I have only played maybe 50 or 60 games, but I’ve seen around 100 games and I’ve seen how the greatest players have finished games and how they change their game according to the situation. It means the whole world to me.

"I think right from the day I started playing, I started dreaming of playing for the country. I think this is the day I was waiting for and I am very grateful and very thankful. I've always had a very special journey with lots of ups and downs. I've kept on doubting myself, kept on thinking what if? Can I make it? But I kept believing and thanks to the Almighty for actually blessing me today, so I'm very happy," Samson said in a chat with the broadcaster.

Indian cricket, 97s and World Cups go back a long way. The man who delivered an unforgettable 97 in the 2011 World Cup final vs Sri Lanka was in the dugout this time, applauding a 97* from a player he has continuously backed. Gambhir too was unusually calm when the winning runs were scored. The only time you could see him show emotion was when the right-hander scored a half-century and raised his bat towards the dressing room.

The job, for both India and Samson, was only half done by then, but the coach's expression explained how much it meant to the entire change room to see a player they consistently backed deliver when it mattered most. The wicketkeeper-batter took fresh guard after scoring his first half-century in the last 13 innings and converted it into the biggest contribution by an India batter in a T20I chase, overtaking Virat Kohli's 82* vs Australia in 2016. This was also India's highest successful run-chase in T20I World Cups, eclipsing their previous best of 173 vs South Africa in 2014.

"I never felt that I would do something special like this, but I was just focusing on my role and taking it one ball at a time, and I am very grateful. I think this is one of the greatest days of my life," added an emotional Samson.

Before this Eden Gardens special, Samson had never stayed till the end in a T20I or IPL run-chase, and the entire team would be glad it happened when it mattered most, in a high-scoring virtual quarter-final. Coach Gautam Gambhir, who consistently backed Samson to succeed, praised the "world-class player" and hoped for a fresh kick-off.

"He is a world-class player, we all know how good a player Sanju is. And it was all about backing him. When the team needed him the most, today was a day when he probably showed his true potential as well. And hopefully, this is the time for him to kick off. Probably two more games to go, hopefully," said Gambhir.

While Samson operated in zone mode during the tense chase, he got into very good positions and held his shape even when attempting big hits. Batting coach Kotak revealed that they worked on ensuring a stable hitting base for the right-hander and made alterations to his initial trigger movement, which they felt was rushing him into position early. There was a recognised need to fix the imbalance in weight distribution between his two feet. Work on this had been underway since the England series, where well-directed short deliveries had led to his downfall.

Without divulging the fine print, Kotak explained the technical adjustments in very simple terms.

"I wouldn't want to go into the details. But yes, we did work on his initial movement a little because we were just trying to create a better base for him. No point going too deep into his technical things. He also felt he was getting ready a little early, and that helped, I think.

"In very simple language, if you try to hit a ball when you have a lot of weight on one leg compared to when you have equal weight on both legs, your base is created better. Obviously, your hands move faster. So that's something. But Sanju is someone who does two or three different things. We've been talking about this since the England series nearly a year ago. So it's not something new," explained Kotak.

It was an evening when talent unlocked true potential. It was also an evening when thousands in the stands and billions watching at home witnessed a batting masterclass. A batting masterclass from a player who was regularly reminded of his class. However, after the Eden Gardens special, the reminders from management to Samson, and then from Samson to the rest of the world, could well hit the snooze button.


When he disappeared into the change room after the customary handshakes, he was on his knees again, thanking the Almighty with the television still playing live celebratory visuals from the ground. However, the feeds for the next few days would be dominated by the Samson masterclass.


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