Leading Rajasthan Royals in the upcoming Indian Premier League season, the young Sanju Samson who had heads turning in the last edition said he aims to build the "right atmosphere" for the team.
Samson, known for his explosive batting in the IPL format, has come a long way in not only his cricketing career but also as one of the most entertaining batsmen in the tournament. All at the age of 26.
The wicketkeeper-batsman from Kerala, who began his IPL career with RR eight years ago, had led his state and U-19 teams and also the India U-19 team.
"I look at captaincy as more of a service to the team. A captain is someone who is there to provide the right kind of atmosphere that every individual requires in a team and backs each one of them. It’s a lot about man-management skills—giving positive feedback to your players, understanding where they are coming from.," he told Hindustan Times in an interview.
Samson replaced Steve Smith as captain after the team decided to not retain the Australian batsman. "Sanju made his debut as a Royal, and it has been a joy to watch his development over the last 8 years. He is the ideal person to lead the Royals into the 2021 season," RR owner Manoj Badale told PTI.
Samson says the long years spent with the team give him a comfortable space to play and that it was a "proud moment" for him to captain RR.
Taking inspiration from Sangakara, who is the director of cricket for the team Sangakara, Samson said "I couldn’t have asked for anything more than having Sanga as my partner in this role."
As for his role as a wicketkeeper, batsman, and now the captain, Samson does not think there are too many tasks at hand. He believes standing behind the stumps gives him an edge in analysing the game. "I’ve always felt a wicketkeeper is the best judge on a cricket field. He can see a lot more things, analyse the game better, and is one step ahead," he said.
Rajasthan Royals had a tough time in the previous seasons, finishing off at the bottom of the table. However, the new captain doesn't see any faults and looks ahead to playing what he calls 'fearless cricket'.
In the 2020 IPL season, the Royals finished at the bottom of the table.