Veteran Team India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has credited head coach Gautam Gambhir for his recent success in international cricket, after years of inconsistent performances as well. He also applauded the head coach Gambhir for backing him to the hilt and giving him the confidence to express himself as well.

Speaking to AB de Villiers on the latter’s YouTube channel recently, Samson said, “When he came to the Indian team, in the dressing room he told me ‘Sanju, I know what you have. You have something special. I am going to be back you no matter what’. He told me to walk in, go out there and express myself in every innings. That kind of communication from the coach, that gave me clarity and confidence.”

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“After few games of dismissals, you feel pressure because you have a guy who’s backing you and you are not performing. I thought ‘common Sanju, you need to show something and repay the faith the coach has in’. By God’s grace, something special has happened. I want to continue scoring runs and win games for my country,” the talented batter further added.

Before international cricket, Sanju Samson and Gautam Gambhir knew each other due to the Indian Premier League (IPL). His first IPL team was the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) where Gambhir was a former captain as well.

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“Yeah, it has been. I had a decent relationship with Gautam Gambir right from a young age. My first IPL team was KKR. When I was 14, they picked me on their B team. At the age of 17, I made it to the KKR main side and that was when KKR won the Championship under Gautam Gambhir,” he concluded.