CHENNAI: The mood around Chennai Super Kings had been tense, but it has lifted in a hurry. A confident display from CSK\u2019s latest signing, Sanju Samson, against a stern Delhi Capitals unit at Chepauk on Saturday has injected fresh optimism into the camp.<\/p>\n
Samson struck an unbeaten 115 off 56 deliveries\u2014his first big statement in CSK colours\u2014and in doing so, underlined exactly why he is regarded as a valuable T20 asset. He didn\u2019t play with any sense of panic, nor did he force the issue with reckless power-hitting. Instead, he leaned on his strengths and built a polished innings against quality bowling.<\/p>\n
Rather than chasing boundaries for the sake of it, Samson paced his work intelligently. He found the fence nine times during the Powerplay, using timing and placement to keep the pressure steady rather than spiking it in bursts. That control, along with strong awareness of the game situation, helped CSK end a six-match Chepauk drought and finally get their campaign moving.<\/p>\n
The knock also arrived as a clear turning point. Samson had endured a tough start, with disappointing returns in his first three outings, and the pressure had started to rise on the Kerala batter\u2014especially with him describing Chennai as his \u201csecond home.\u201d Yet, even with that backdrop, there was no visible strain in his approach.<\/p>\n
CSK bowling coach Eric Simons pointed to the composure Samson showed as the key difference. He suggested Samson\u2019s calmness on the big stage is close to the standards set by the franchise\u2019s former captain, MS Dhoni.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve had the privilege of working many years with MS Dhoni, one of the calmest cricketers I\u2019ve seen. Sanju isn\u2019t far behind,\u201d Simons said. \u201cThere\u2019s no panic, no urge to over-practise. When you have a player of his class, you know poor form is temporary.\u201d<\/p>\n
Simons also singled out self-belief as Samson\u2019s defining trait. \u201cIt\u2019s something he has in abundance. Our job is to keep trusting him,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
That confidence has been paying dividends for Samson even before this CSK surge. At the recent T20 World Cup, he was named in the XI later than usual following a run of low scores, but he stayed faithful to his natural game and delivered with two successive Player-of-the-Match performances.<\/p>\n
Samson\u2019s arrival at CSK came with its own weight of expectations. The franchise let go of long-time stalwart Ravindra Jadeja to make room for him, a move that signalled the faith CSK has placed in their new recruit. Samson acknowledged the importance of repaying that trust.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter the trust CSK showed in me, it was important to deliver so we stay in contention,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s never easy starting with a new franchise, but I never felt that here. It\u2019s like a second home.\u201d<\/p>\n
Even with the highs, Samson doesn\u2019t shy away from setbacks. He believes those rough stretches have helped him evolve as a batter and as a player.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have failed a lot, but failure teaches you how to come back,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHENNAI: The mood around Chennai Super Kings had been tense, but it has lifted in a hurry. A confident display from CSK\u2019s latest signing, Sanju…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":2364,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_yoast_wpseo_title":"IPL: Sanju Samson 115* vs CSK comeback vs Delhi","_yoast_wpseo_metadesc":"Sanju Samson\u2019s unbeaten 115* sparks CSK\u2019s comeback vs Delhi Capitals at Chepauk\u2014watch the key moments, big hits, and turning points.","footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2367","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ipl"],"yoast_head":"\n