Eric Simons, the bowling coach for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), has drawn a comparison between Sanju Samson and the legendary MS Dhoni, highlighting the composure that Samson brings to the team. Samson, who joined CSK in a trade deal that sent Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran to Rajasthan Royals, marked his arrival with an impressive performance against Delhi Capitals on Saturday, scoring an unbeaten 115 and leading the five-time IPL champions to their first victory of the season.
Since his transfer, Samson has been under scrutiny. After being named Man of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup, he initially struggled in the IPL, with scores of 6, 7, and 9, contributing to CSK’s three consecutive losses. However, his performance on Saturday indicated a return to form. Despite the rocky start, Simons noted that Samson has remained calm and composed throughout this challenging period.
“Having spent many years involved with Dhoni, I can say he is one of the most composed players I have ever known. Sanju Samson is very close to that level; he has an excellent understanding of the game. I haven’t seen him panic or feel the need to over-practice, which is impressive,” Simons remarked during the post-match press conference.
Following a five-day training session after their defeat to RCB, Samson took a short trip home before rejoining his teammates for the match. Simons emphasized Samson’s strong self-belief and reiterated that the wicketkeeper-batter’s talent was never in question.
“When you have a player of his caliber, a rough patch is usually just a temporary setback. Sometimes, it comes down to luck; he faced a fantastic delivery from Nandre Burger in one game. It’s the nature of the sport—one ball can go for four runs while another leads to an edge and a catch. There was always confidence that he would find his rhythm again. A player of his stature needs to maintain faith in his abilities, and he certainly possesses that confidence in abundance,” the South African coach added.
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