IPL 2017

The right men play their part as Samson finally arrives

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Has Samson's time finally arrived?
Has Samson's time finally arrived? © BCCI

It takes talent to spot a talent. In Delhi Daredevils' first match of the Indian Premier League against Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kevin Pietersen said that Sanju Samson was a definite talent, but needed the right kind of men around to guide him. On Tuesday (April 11), at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Pune against the home side, Rising Pune Supergiant, a familiar Samson turned up and dished out an innings, his maiden IPL century, that deserved more than mere acclamation, validation, that he was indeed surrounded by the right men.

Now, for some perspective. It was only in December that Samson was dropped from the Kerala Ranji Trophy side on the charges of indiscipline. Samson's outburst, where he smashed his bat on the floor in frustration in the dressing room of the Brabourne Stadium following a lean period of runs, was a cause of ire to the officials at the Kerala Cricket Association.

He then was said to have left the stadium without the team management being kept in the loop and locked himself up in his hotel room, unable to be contacted until much later in the evening. That wasn't all; he stopped keeping wickets, and to add to his growing woes, his knee injury decided to re-emerge. It was evident that Samson needed time off the game, to recuperate and even to just pull himself together. But KCA denied his request of taking a break and heading to the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore.

"You need to have bad times to learn about life," Samson said of how he put it all behind him to once again come out strong and prove himself. "If you always just keep achieving success then you don't learn. So, if you make mistakes in cricket or in life, you learn from it and become a better person. I think my past has helped me become a better cricketer and a better person," he added.

Through it all, though, Samson had the undying support of Rahul Dravid, who more than once has spoken highly of the youngster's talent, having skippered him at Rajasthan Royals in 2013, where he was one of the finds of the tournament. Dravid, now, the mentor of the Delhi Daredevils, has been the buttress that Samson was looking for after having had his share of troubles in recent times - perhaps, one of the "right men" that Pietersen was referring to.

"I want to thank Rahul sir for supporting me the last 3-4 years like anything," Samson said of Dravid's role in his life, evidently grateful to him and the entire Daredevils' management. "A support from a legend like him, his motivation at practise sessions and backing... very blessed to be with him, Paddy Upton, Zubin Bharucha and the entire management," he said.

"They (Dravid and Zaheer Khan) are very experienced. They both are very special and we are very lucky to be in this junior team under them. We really enjoy their company and they know the skill to make people perform. We had a very good preparatory camp before the IPL started and I now am in a very good space of mind. People here encouraged me to do well in the side and backed me. Very happy it came off today," the youngster added.

Samson's knock was characterised by great skill and execution
Samson's knock was characterised by great skill and execution ©BCCI

On Tuesday, Samson came into the middle sooner than Delhi would have liked, having lost opener Aditya Tare in the second over to Deepak Chahar. At 2 for 1, and with Sam Billings at the other end, Delhi needed their top order to deliver if they had to register their first win over the Pune franchise. Samson attacked from the outset, creaming the offside, driving Chahar for back-to-back boundaries to stage a counter-attack after the wicket. He then took on Ashok Dinda while giving Billings the time and space to settle into the knock in a rapidly-moving partnership. He looked at taking the bowlers for runs early on in the over and rotating the strike for the rest as Delhi raced away to 62 at the end of the powerplay on what was a belter of a track.

Expectedly, RPS brought in their duo of legspinners, who operated from both ends. Imran Tahir delivered immediately as Billings failed to read him and was found cursing himself as he came down the track to a slider that rattled his stumps, ending a 67-run stand that came in quick time. Following a brilliant 57 against RCB, Pant timed the ball beautifully, after a mistime off his first delivery that landed in no man's land - just like in Bangalore. The pair thereafter kept themselves busy with efficient running between the wickets, rotating the strike effectively, with the odd boundary with unfaultable timing. What also stood out was Samson's maturity - selective in his shot-making, he was cautious against the legspinners at first, before letting loose.

"We need to change our batting style according to the match situation," Samson said after the game. "I've been playing the IPL for sometime now, so I've had my experiences and have learnt from it. Sometimes we need to slow down, sometimes need to get a partnership. It was very important to stay through the innings and keep scoring as well.

"I was playing with Rishabh Pant who is a very good hitter of the ball. Legspinners were bowling and he was hitting them from the middle of the bat. I can't do everything myself so I was happy that Rishabh was helping me in the partnership. That helped me to stay at the wicket and build that partnership."

The pair ended up adding 53 before a brilliant throw from Mayank Agarwal at backward point ended Pant's stay at the crease for 31. It was then that Samson switched gears and went on a rampage of boundaries, stealing as many 19 off Dinda, who once again, was taken apart, conceding 36 in three overs. Samson, who scored 31 runs off his first 14 balls, took just 18 to score his last 48, slamming Adam Zampa for a six to score the first century of this edition of the IPL.

Although Samson was dismissed for a 63-ball 102, Chris Morris's cameo of a 9-ball 38 took Delhi to 205 - which was more than enough to give them their first win this season.

The right-handed wicketkeeper was once widely touted as Dhoni's heir apparent. However, somewhere in the din of life, he had lost himself and perhaps undermined his talent. To break out of the cycle of self-doubt took a mature effort, and a remarkable one at that, for someone as young to have bounced back and finally arrive on the stage where he clearly belongs. The conversion of a start into a substantial score finally - something he is pulled up for not doing as often - could mark the beginning of something new for the youngster.

That explains Ravi Shastri roaring "About time!", a subdued celebration after the century and the camera panning onto Dravid as soon as Samson reached the landmark to find his mentor standing and applauding a youngster who he did not just believe in, but lent out the required succour to make it happen.

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