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Rajasthan Royals (RR) skipper Sanju Samson has stated that thinking about India selection while playing the IPL is a wrong mindset.
Samson has failed to replicate his success in the IPL at the international stage despite being given a number of opportunities. As a result, he failed to find a place in India’s 15-member squad for the T20 World Cup.
According to Samson, there is no point thinking about national selection while playing for your IPL franchise.
"First of all, when you're playing for an IPL team and thinking about Indian selection, then it's a wrong mindset. People do talk a lot about Indian selection and cementing your place but that is actually a by-product - if you perform, you get opportunities," Samson was quoted as saying by TOI.
The RR skipper made the comments during an interaction over captaincy and other cricketing issues with Barbados Royals captain Jason Holder.
Samson had a philosophical take on the criticism surrounding him. The 26-year-old stated that the pressure of performance is the same for him as it is for anyone else.
"I think IPL is the most viewed tournament in the world. It will get you noticed. People do say good things about me and they also say other things as well. It's natural for me now. Everyone is having that kind of pressure. And everyone goes through that kind of pressure, knowing that so many people are waiting outside anyway. That's the reason behind Indian cricket's success," he added.
RR had a mixed run in the first half of IPL 2021 in India, winning three and losing four of their seven matches. They were in fifth position in the points table when the event was suspended.
“We have to be the fittest team in the IPL” - Sanju Samson
Samson added that he has put the disappointment of not being chosen for the T20 World Cup behind him and is focused at the task at hand. He expressed pride that RR players like Chetan Sakariya have gone on to play for India.
"I have been with RR from the age of 18. I have seen a lot of Indian talent coming in and going on to play for India like Sakariya did. We give a product to the Indian team. That's our mindset and that's how we pick our team. We have to be the fittest team in the IPL."
He also admitted that the The Hundred format excites him, but emphasized that he wants to play the traditional formats first.
"The Hundred format might be very exciting, actually. Jason (Holder) is very lucky to play all three formats for his country and I would also like to do that first and then think on those lines," Samson said.
Sanju Samson scored 277 runs in seven games in the first half of IPL 2021. He began with a valiant 119 against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) but his form dipped as the tournament progressed.
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