"With Jos playing throughout 20 overs, my role was a bit different. It was a decent season for me, nice 30s and 40s and 20s," Samson said after the IPL 2022 final.
Rajasthan Royals played some excellent cricket in the 2022 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). They were one of the most consistent teams in the tournament. However, the team couldn’t cross the final hurdle with new entrants Gujarat Titans winning the title. They won by seven wickets at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday to lay their hands on the trophy.
The Royals skipper Sanju Samson led the side really well and also shone with the bat, amassing 458 runs in 17 matches at a strike rate of around 147. But it was yet another season of missed opportunities for Samson, as he couldn’t play a big innings despite getting starts frequently.
Samson scored only a couple of fifties with his highest score being 55, and often lost his wicket while attempting a big shot. However, in the post-match presentation, Sanju revealed that his role was different this season with Jos Buttler looking to bat through the innings. Fans on the internet identified it as an indirect sly dig at the selectors, stating that his contributions of the 20s, 30s and 40s were equally important as well.
To note, Samson is always criticised for not converting his starts and that is probably one of the reasons for him not getting a chance in the Indian team.
“We believe quality bowlers win you the tournament. So we invested in them. With Jos playing throughout 20 overs, my role was a bit different. It was a decent season for me, nice 30s and 40s and 20s. But there is a lot to learn. And huge congratulations to Gujarat Titans,” the RR skipper said.
Speaking about the team’s overall run, Samson was proud of his players for playing a fearless brand of cricket. He also stated that IPL 2022 season was special for the team on many accounts, and the fact that they made it to the final made it even more memorable.
“This season is really special for us. We have been able to play good cricket and give fans some happy moments. All the youngsters and seniors played well as a team, I am proud of my team,” he added.
Meanwhile, the fans loved the way Sanju Samson noted his contributions taking a sly dig at the selectors after being left out of the upcoming five-match home T20I series against South Africa, beginning June 9.
I realized it as soon as the team was announced.
If I have to choose between KL Rahul & Samson as a chairman of selector, I would pick Sanju Samson against all odds for t-20s.
— Thala Rasigan (@Thalavaram1) May 27, 2022
