Can’t judge a batsman solely by the no. of runs he scores: Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson consistently not playing for the national team has baffled many. The talent which he possesses, the wicketkeeper-batsman, many believe, should’ve been a regular in the side by now. But as fate had it, Sanju has played only a solitary T20I for India so far back in July 2015 against Zimbabwe. Since then, he has been sidelined and is yet to make an appearance at the highest level.

Despite racking up runs in the domestic circuit for Kerala, the selectors have turned an eye towards picking him. However, Sanju Samson looks at it the different way. According to him, a batsman couldn’t only be judged only by the number of runs he scores some times and the conditions in which he bats should also taken into consideration.

Kerala qualified for the semi-finals for the first time last season and though Sanju Samson didn’t have a great season, he mustered runs when it mattered the most for his team. In 9 matches which he played, the right-hander amassed 343 runs with four half-centuries and a highest score of 91. He has fallen down the pecking order as well and is not the part of India A teams as well now.

You have to understand the pitch first

While speaking about his snub at the highest level, the calm-headed Sanju Samson feels he has not done justice to the talent he possesses and needs to score runs in abundance to seek attention. “You cannot judge a batsman from the number you read against his name on the scorecard. You have to understand the nature of the pitch first,” he was quoted as saying by Economic Times.

Having said that, Sanju Samson didn’t forget to highlight the condition of the pitches as well which aren’t conducive to batting. By pointing out the same, he underlined the fact that the runs shouldn’t be the sole factor to judge a batsman or a cricketer. “It is difficult if you play for a state like Kerala where the wickets aren’t conducive for batting. Five-day matches get over in one-and-a-half days and a batsman scoring 50 is adjudged the Man of the Match, he further added.