‘Won’t Drop You Even If You Score 21 Ducks’: Gambhir’s Message That Transformed Samson’s Career

Sanju Samson’s international career is nothing short of a topsy-turvy ride on one of the world’s most dangerous roller coasters, as he’s seen both ups and downs. The right-hander made his international debut quite early, at the age of 20, but he never got the extended run to show his batting prowess. 

Even at the 2024 T20 World Cup, where the wicketkeeper-batter was picked, Samson didn’t get to show his skillset, as he remained an unused player throughout the competition. But things took a sharp turn afterwards, when Gautam Gambhir stepped in to take over from Rahul Dravid as India’s new head coach. 

Gambhir stepped in and transformed Samson’s career, as he became a regular under the former KKR captain. Across 2024 and 25, Samson played 18 matches for India in the shortest format, where he scored three hundreds and a fifty, including twin centuries in South Africa. What changed for Samson? 

“I was in and out of the team, and it happened for a long time. It was definitely not easy; I completed almost eight to nine years, but only played a handful of games. I was there, and it was a confusing phase. I always tried to keep myself in a positive frame of mind. Suddenly, the change happened after the World Cup, when Surya and Gautam bhai came in,” Samson recalled in a chat with Ashwin on his YouTube channel. 

Samson revealed that he had a conversation with India’s T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, who told him that he would get an extended run as an opener in the Indian blues. However, it didn’t turn out as he would have hoped, with two ducks in as many games as an opener in Sri Lanka. 

“I was playing a game in Andhra Pradesh, and that’s when I met Surya, and he told me, ‘Chetta, there is an opportunity coming your way, get ready as an opener’. When such a word comes out of the captain, I played two games in Sri Lanka where I got out early. I felt that the opportunity was lost,” RR’s captain said.

“Gautam Gambhir came to me and asked what happened. I told him I couldn’t convert. He told me, even if you scored 21 ducks, I won’t drop you from my team. That confidence raised my spirits, and I really felt safe, which helped me to score runs after that.”

During his time away from the sport, Samson stated how he learnt to change his opinion on the world, insisting that he kept thinking ‘What’s next?’, which helped him change his outlook in life. 

“It was easy to put that opportunity will come, and on someone’s shoulders. When I was a youngster, I didn’t really think about breaking into the Indian team. I went with that flow for three years, saying ‘I have played for the country, boys’. But was it enough? No, I knew that a lot was left, and it took me five years to return. That took a lot, both physically and mentally. I kept thinking, ‘What next?’,” Samson revealed.