Shamik Chakrabarty in Pallekele
For Sanju Samson, the opportunity to play the second T20I against Sri Lanka at Pallekele came by chance. Shubman Gill had a neck spasm and an opening position fell vacant. Sanju was fitted into that slot.
India restricted Sri Lanka to 161/9, with the hosts suffering another middle-order crash. Then, when the tourists batted, a stoppage for rain altered the equation to 78 off eight overs. Yashasvi Jaiswal chalked off 12 of those runs in the first over and Sanju faced his first ball under no scoreboard pressure. He perished for a golden duck.
Maheesh Theekshana bowled a faster one and it breached the batsman’s defence. It was another opportunity wasted for Sanju, who somehow has struggled to bridge the gap between the IPL and international cricket throughout his career.
Strong criticism would be harsh on Sanju. It’s not easy for any player when chances are few and far between. But that’s the reality. Only a handful of exceptionally talented players, proven performers, are automatic picks in the Indian team across formats. The rest are under pressure to capitalise on the opportunities whenever they come. It is down to the depth of Indian cricket.
Sanju made his T20I debut in 2015. Over the next 10 years, he has played only 29 matches. His figures aren’t impressive – 444 runs at an average of 20.18 with just two half-centuries. Then again, he never got a stretch of games to get into the international groove. He looks a different player in the IPL, when he plays for Rajasthan Royals. This year also, he was among the top five run-scorers in the tournament, with 531 runs from 16 games and a strike-rate of 153.46. Why he fails to replicate his IPL form in international cricket is anyone’s guess. Is it psychological?
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Tinu Yohannan, the first Kerala cricketer to play for India, has known Sanju for a long time. He put things in perspective. “See, if you step into his territory, it’s never easy as a player,” Yohannan said, speaking to RevSportz. “He debuted about 10 years ago and after that he has been (playing) on and off. He didn’t get a long run at any time. Each game is like a do-or-die game for him. Almost every time when he walks out to bat, he goes into pressure situations. He has to be given a long run somewhere down the line. He needs backing.”
The contrast between his performances for Royals and India is not down to skill-set, according to Yohannan. “Mind probably plays a part,” he said. “At Royals, he knows what his role is. He also knows it doesn’t matter if he fails. I know, in the Indian team it’s very difficult for him to get a long stretch of games, especially now that Rishabh (Pant) has come back. But then, he needs to be given a long run at some point of time.”
Does Sanju put extra pressure on himself when he plays for India? “He is not a guy who puts pressure on himself,” observed Yohannan. “He is someone who has a free mind. He is someone who excels when there are no strings attached, in an environment where he can express himself.”
Does any technical issue act as an impediment at the highest level? “No, it is not that,” said Yohannan. “The way I know him, he is a very selfless player. The Indian team will have to take a decision, whether to give Sanju a long run or he will be in and out. Now that Rohit (Sharma) and Virat (Kohli) have retired from T20Is, slots will be available in the Indian batting line-up. The team management will have to see where Sanju can fit in.”
At any point of time during his conversations with Yohannan, did Sanju express his frustrations? “There was a time when he felt dejected,” said the former India fast bowler. “But he came through that period really well. He has gone through so many ups and downs. He scored a century in his last ODI (against South Africa) and now he hasn’t been picked in the ODI squad. He has reached a point where he doesn’t think about it too much. He just goes game by game.”
Sanju has reasons to feel unhappy, about his lack of sustained opportunities. But this is the Indian team, and the 29-year-old needs to make his opportunities count whenever they come.
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