Sanju Samson recalled Gautam Gambhir’s warning: ‘I will only remove you from the team …’. Cricket news
The story of Sanju Samson’s cricket has always been about the calm patience from the right people in the right moments. He still recalls a day during the game of a Dalip Trophy in Andhra when Suryakumar Yadav went to him with a promise – there were seven matches, and Samson would open them all. Talking to R Ashwin on his YouTube channel, Samson recalled how, for a batsman, such assurance from the captain meant the world. However, the beginning was far from the ideal. On a tour of Sri Lanka, he achieved ducks in his first two matches. The weight of missed opportunities began to crawl, until Gautam Gambhir – “Goti Bhai” for him – cut through disappointment. Gambhir asked what was wrong, heard the self-critical answer, and replied with a line that Samson never forgot: “If you score 21 ducks, I will remove you from the team.”
That belief will become fuel. In 2024, Samson finally brought to the big stage, produced three T20 centers in just five matches – one against Bangladesh at one house and two against South Africa – a record by any batsman in the same calendar year. This was a weather that justified the faith shown by his masters. Nevertheless, as his international stock, his IPL future is immersed in uncertainty. Samson’s relationship with Rajasthan Royals is the franchise he has since led and represented (stopping the years of suspension), sour.
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According to reports, serious differences have come to light, the skipper has been formally led to a business or release request. People close to him say that he wants outside, but under the IPL rules, only the franchise can decide his fate. RR is searching for options, but a player of his caliber – a price of ₹ 18 crore – is not easy to transfer. Many teams including Chennai Super Kings have shown interest, yet no deal has come close. For now, Royals catch cards, but big questions: Can a team really thrive when his captain does not want to be there now? The coming weeks can not only define Samson’s IPL chapter, but also the desire of a franchise to let one of its bright stars go.
