IPL 2020: My only dream is to win matches, says Sanju

Dubai - The Kerala batsman, who played four T20Is, has put himself in contention for an India call.

It is almost an embarrassment of riches as far as wicketkeeper-batsman for India are concerned with KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant getting a run while Sanju Samson has always put himself in the frame with each passing IPL.
The start to this season has been no different with the Kerala batsman, who has played four T20Is, doing everything right to again put himself in contention for an India call.
The 25-year-old has evolved and understood his game better and used the lockdown to work on his power game. And that was on show as the youngest player to score a half-century in the IPL, coming up with two match-winning innings - 74 against the Chennai Super Kings and 85 in the record run chase against Kings XI Punjab.
With these two ruthless knocks, Samson has perhaps put the selectors on notice. But the man himself isn't sure and is just focussing on the here and now.
"I may be, I may be not. I'm not sure, the only thing I'm sure is that I'm in good form and I'm winning matches for my team," Samson said during a virtual press conference on Tuesday.
"That's what I've been really preparing myself throughout my career. Only dream is to win matches for my team, any team I play for. That is what is happening right now and I should keep my focus here and focus on the IPL right now," he added.
His hard-hitting batting and his work with the gloves have drawn comparisons with former Indian captain MS Dhoni, who retired from international cricket just before the IPL.
But Samson felt that MS Dhoni is on a different level and making comparisons shouldn't be made.
"No one can play like him or no one should try playing like him. That's what I want to suggest to anyone. It is not at all easy to play like MS Dhoni or think to play like MS Dhoni. We should leave him aside. He's one of the best finishers or best cricketers to ever play this wonderful game. So, I never think about me playing like MS Dhoni. I just want to be myself and understand what Sanju Samson is and just be myself," he explained.
Samson also spoke about the influence Indian skipper Virat Kohli has had when it came to fitness.
"I came to this thought I can't play cricket after 10 to 12 years. If I'm not fit enough I should not play. That's when I realised I have 10 years to go. I had an amazing experience when I was in the gym with the Indian team and I was training with Virat bhai. I asked him about his training routines and why he put so much energy into fitness. I keep on asking him a lot of different questions. Then he asked me how many years am I going to play? I told him I'm 25 and I could probably play 10 more years.
"Then, he told me that I can do anything after 10 years, if I want to eat Kerala food, I can, I can eat or do anything I want. You won't be able to play cricket after these 10 years so why don't you give everything, whatever you have in these 10 years. So, that really changed my perspective towards my dedication to cricket. I was already dedicated and I was giving everything but there was something more I could have given. So, I was really happy to hear that from him," revealed Samson.
james@khaleejtimes.com

• IPL 2019