‘I’m different from Dravid and Dhoni or anyone else': Sanju Samson after being appointed as RR captain last year

That Samson had a calm head on his shoulders and the ability to lead was evident when last year in an interview with Malayalam film director Basil Joseph, he had said he loves Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni's captaincy skills but doesn't want to emulate them.

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson may not have taken IPL 2022 by storm with match-winning knocks but his multiple impactful innings while batting at number 3 and 4 played a crucial role in RR's one of the best seasons in recent times. But what was more impressive than his batting, which is not an unknown commodity in IPL now, was the way he led the Royals this year. Samson, who was appointed as the RR captain last year, was one of the most impressive captains in this edition of the tournament along with champions Gujarat Titans skipper Hardik Pandya.

Sanju Samson, captain of Rajasthan Royals (PTI)

Samson led RR to their first-ever IPL final in 14 years. The men in pink and blue failed to cross the final hurdle as they were beaten by the best team of the tournament GT but the Samson-led side showed that they are not far from their second IPL title.

That Samson had a calm head on his shoulders and the ability to lead was evident when last year in an interview with Malayalam film director Basil Joseph, he had said he loves Rahul Dravid and MS Dhoni's captaincy skills but doesn't want to emulate them.

“I am different from Dravid or Dhoni, or anyone else. So, I try to be as natural as I am. Primarily, I try to assess the mood of the team. Often, they are all pumped up and so needn’t tell them that you should try your best. It’s sometimes the stupidest thing you would tell, because everyone wants to perform to the best of their skills,” he had said after being appointed as the RR skipper last year according to a report in The Indian Express.

Samson, who had spent a lot of time with Dravid when he was with the India A side, said the legendary India captain also 'inspired' the players to give their best on the field.

“His speeches were profound. He often spoke of the higher purpose of life. His words had a hypnotic power to hold our attention for a long time. But as much as his speeches, he was so caring and understanding. He loved us, and thus inspired us to produce our best. That’s the atmosphere we are trying to create in Rajasthan,” he had said.

Samson scored 458 runs in 17 matches this year at an impressive strike rate of 147. The right-handed wicketkeeper-batter, was, however, not included in India's T20 side for the five-match home series against South Africa starting on June 9.