The road to success is rarely straightforward and for Sanju Samson, one of the toughest moments of his career came before he had even played his first IPL match. The India wicketkeeper-batter recently shared how a promise from Rahul Dravid raised his hopes, only for him to be left out of Rajasthan Royals’ opening game, leaving him deeply disappointed.
Sanju Samson, who is currently part of India’s squad for the ongoing five-match T20I series against England, reflected on his first Rajasthan Royals trials in Jaipur. It was there that he met Rahul Dravid for the first time. During the trials, former India fast bowler S. Sreesanth, who was with the Royals then, introduced Sanju Samson to Rahul Dravid and strongly recommended him after highlighting his impressive performances and ability to score plenty of runs, including several boundaries and sixes.
The young batter said he managed to live up to some of those expectations during the trials by playing a few big shots, which further boosted his confidence. Following the session, Rahul Dravid assured Sanju Samson that he would receive an opportunity to play for the franchise.
However, things did not go according to plan. Despite performing well in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Sanju Samson failed to make an impact in a practice match held before the IPL season. When the team for Rajasthan Royals’ opening fixture was announced, his name was missing from the playing XI.
The decision came as a huge disappointment for the youngster, who admitted he was heartbroken after believing he would get his chance. Instead of letting the setback affect him, Sanju Samson used the time on the sidelines to observe the competition, understand the demands of the league, and prepare himself for future opportunities.
His patience eventually paid off when he made his IPL debut after another player suffered an injury. Although he was not retained in the playing XI for the following match, the experience proved to be an important step in his development.
Looking back, Sanju Samson believes missing out on the opening game was actually a blessing in disguise. The experience helped him learn, grow and better understand what it takes to succeed in one of the world’s biggest T20 leagues.
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