"In dressing room, he...": Sanju Samson credits Gautam Gambhir's 'favoritism' for pivotal role in his success

Team India wicketkeeper Sanju Samson has thanked head coach Gautam Gambhir after tasting belated success in international cricket. Sanju Samson shared how Gautam Gambhir's unwavering support and belief in his abilities helped him overcome years of inconsistency batting in international cricket.

Sanju Samson, who debuted for India in 2015, experienced inconsistency and was in and out of white-ball squads for the next few years. The Kerala batter scored his maiden international century in an ODI against South Africa in December 2023. Samson has also hit three centuries in his last five T20I innings.

Gautam Gambhir Told Me 'Sanju, I Know What You Have' - Sanju Samson

In a conversation with AB de Villiers on his YouTube channel, Samson said that Gautam Gambhir played a pivotal role in his success. Samson shared that the coach encouraged him to play freely and express himself in every innings. He stated that this clear communication boosted his confidence.

"When he came to the Indian team, in the dressing room he told me 'Sanju, I know what you have. You have something special. I am going to be back you no matter what'. He told me to walk in, go out there and express myself in every innings. That kind of communication from the coach, that gave me clarity and confidence," Samson said.

I Thought 'Come on Sanju, You Need to Show Something' - Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson admitted feeling disappointed with his initial failures, as he was eager to justify the trust shown in him by Gautam Gambhir. Samson attributed his recent successes to divine blessings and wants to keep scoring runs and winning matches for India.

"After few games of dismissals, you feel pressure because you have a guy who's backing you and you are not performing. I thought 'common Sanju, you need to show something and repay the faith the coach has in'. By God's grace, something special has happened. I want to continue scoring runs and win games for my country," the 30-year-old went on to add.

The right-handed batter has played 16 ODIs and 37 T20Is. Samson has amassed 510 runs in ODIs at an average of 56.66, including one century and three half-centuries. He has scored 810 T20I runs with an average of 27.93 and a strike rate of 155.17, including three centuries and two fifties.

I Had a Decent Relationship with Gautam Gambhir Right from a Young Age - Sanju Samson

Samson reflected on his long-standing connection with Gautam Gambhir, which began during his early IPL days. His first IPL team was the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), where Gambhir served as captain. Samson said that he joined KKR's B team at 14 and made it to the main squad at 17.

"Yeah, it has been. I had a decent relationship with Gautam Gambir right from a young age. My first IPL team was KKR. When I was 14, they picked me on their B team. At the age of 17, I made it to the KKR main side and that was when KKR won the Championship under Gautam Gambhir."

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