‘I don't think anyone can be like MS Dhoni' – Sanju Samson prefers to be comfortable in his own skin

India’s young wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson will be donning the captain’s hat for the first time as he will be seen leading his side Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the upcoming 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), scheduled from April 9. Sanju has been named as the new skipper of the Royals in place of Australia’s former captain Steve Smith.

IPL 2020, hosted in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), didn’t go well for RR as for the first time they finished at the last position after winning just six out of 14 games played. The same resulted in the management sacking Smith as the captain and releasing him ahead of IPL 2021. However, making Samson as the skipper surprised many as RR boasts of having players like Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes on their side.

Ever since Sanju has been given the nod as the new skipper of the franchise, there have been talks regarding a potential comparison between him, and the former Indian captain and IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni. Detailing his opinion on the same, the 26-year-old reckoned that nobody can be like Dhoni and he just wants to be ‘Sanju Samson’. 

“I don’t think anyone can be like MS Dhoni. I would like to be myself. Sanju Samson will be good enough,” the Rajasthan Royals’ website quoted Samson as saying.

I think our team management did a fantastic job in the auction: Sanju Samson

Further, Samson expressed his gratitude to the fans for being there with the Men in Pink despite the highs and lows. The Kerala-star promised that the team will play some good cricket and will do their best to bring smiles to the faces of all the admirers and followers of the Royals.

“I would like to thank each and every fan out there for supporting our team and being with us no matter what. I’ll make sure that we play some good cricket for you guys and bring a smile to your faces. Thanks a lot, guys,” he said.

The IPL 2021 auction saw RR as one of the most active participants as they were successful in acquiring the services of a lot of overseas and Indian players. One of the highlights of the auction was Rajasthan roping in South African all-rounder Chris Morris for a whopping INR 16.25 crore, making him the most expensive buy in the auction history. They also acquired the services of Shivam Dube and Bangladesh left-arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman.

Opining on the auction, Samson said, “I think our team management did a fantastic job in the auction and we got almost every player we wanted. Each and every player’s role is going to be crucial in this season.” 

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