Sanju Samson made good use of the limited opportunity he got in the second one-dayer against Zimbabwe. The wicketkeeper-batter's unbeaten 43 off 39 balls and three catches won him the man-of-the-match award.
“I was really pumped up to be there in pressure situation and they were also bowling well. I really enjoyed the time in the middle,” Sanju said in a TV interview ahead of the third and final ODI on Monday
The Kerala star said that playing domestic cricket made him a better player. “I am a believer that whatever you go through in your career, you have to take it in a positive manner. I really enjoyed playing domestic cricket in the last four-five years. It is challenging to do well there and that has made me be a better player.”
Sanju also said that captaining Rajasthan Royals in the IPL has changed his outlook towards the game. “It has changed my perspective towards cricket. Earlier I used to think only about my batting, my game. Captaincy helps bring about a different mindset - think about others as well apart from your game.”
Sanju said that he's been surprised with the kind of support that he's getting. “I feel surprised that despite playing very little for India, I get good support. I feel there are a lot more Malayalis (in the crowd) as I hear cheers of "Chetta (elder brother), Chetta" which makes me feel proud.”
Sanju also pointed out that the expectations of the fans added to the pressure.