Premier-off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin praised Sanju Samson, saying the Rajasthan Royals captain has excellent attitude and a calm head which will help him during the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022. Ashwin left Delhi Capitals to sign a deal with Rajasthan Royals. his 5th IPL franchise for the new 10-team season.
Ashwin, who was bought by the Royals for Rs 5 crore, said Samson has the advantage of being a wicketkeeper and only gets better as a captain as his side gets older.
Sanju Samson has led the Royals in the IPL for the last 2 years. Although results have not been so good, team management have put their faith in the Kerala batsman, who recently returned to Indian limited-overs in the home series against Sri Lanka.
Samson has a well-rounded squad at his disposal as the Royals look to end their long wait for a 2nd IPL title this year.
“I think Sanju has an amazing attitude and a good head on his shoulders. He’s always open to discussion, open to opinions around the game, so that’s a great trait.
“I think Sanju has the right vantage point as the wicketkeeper to judge the game with all the angles, the pitch and how things are going to work. He also has age on his side and will definitely get better,” Ashwin said in a press release.
As one of the longest-serving players, Ashwin has also shed some light on his potential role in the RR.
“I think the contribution to a team goes well beyond what is done locally. I’ve always been a person who enjoys talking about cricket and was very open to discussion with anyone related to the sport.
“Using my experience and communication skills, I will try to have conversations with anyone who wants to have a discussion and help to the best of my ability to hopefully make a difference for the squad from the inside,” he said.
IPL PLATFORM FOR EXPERIMENTATION
Ashwin, who pioneered development according to the demands of the sport, said the IPL gave him the freedom to experiment and hone his skills. While highlighting the competitiveness of the IPL, the off-spinner, who will join forces with former Royal Challengers Bangalore spinner Yuzvendra Chahal at the Royals, said he is looking forward to the new season.
“The IPL is a tough tournament, there are a lot of variables that can go into each season that can impact. Tau, pitches, the opponent, whatever, and there’s one variable that can affect a game in different ways – what makes it different. It’s a challenge to prepare for things in advance and you have to be ready at all times,” added Ashwin.
“For me personally, however, going into an IPL season is always exciting. The IPL provides a window for experimentation, something that has allowed me to be a richer cricketer every time I’ve been at it, regardless of the outcome.”
Rajasthan will open their IPL 2022 campaign with renewed hopes when they take on SunRisers Hyderabad on March 29.
“NUMBERS PART OF THE JOURNEY”
Ashwin, who recently became India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket, said he had never chased numbers in his career and sees personal milestones as “just part of the journey and not the ultimate goal”.
Ashwin, who recorded 12 wickets with an average of 15.08 in the recent Test series against Sri Lanka, became India’s second-highest wicket-taker in Test matches after beating the legendary Kapil Dev’s 434-wicket tally.
“The numbers are great and it’s really humbling to see what I’ve been able to achieve in terms of numbers. The more I played, the more I felt like the numbers were a part of the journey rather than the destination,” Ashwin said in a press release.
“Especially in the last 2-3 years the feeling has been great, with the series wins in Australia, coming back to the T20 team, it almost feels like how I felt when I first joined the team am in which a lot has happened for me.”
