It feels bad, I’m not a robot: Sanju Samson on outside noise

Sanju Samson during his 57 against Afghanistan in New Delhi on Tuesday. Pic/BCCI

[popcorn number="16.67" desc="Sanju Samson's average in his last six T20Is following his Player-of-the-Series performance in the 2026 T20 World Cup" class="Default"]

Sanju Samson has learnt to deal with the "outside noise" surrounding his career graph, but he admits that the intense competition for India's top-order spots can be challenging even though players have little or no time to sulk over selection decisions.

Samson smashed a brutal 57 off 22 balls in India's series-clinching seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in the second T20I here on Tuesday. But he is well aware that the conversations about the trajectory of his career would not end.

"I try to turn off the Wifi. But sometimes the Wifi turns on and I see the comments of the senior players. It's very normal. I think it's their choice. Sometimes it's their frame of mind. It's totally up to them. They can use a positive frame of sentences or they can use a negative frame of sentences. So, I think I have been mature enough and experienced enough [to know] how to handle it," Samson said at the post-match media interaction.

"At first, it feels bad. I'm not a machine. I am not a robot. It definitely matters. And you get a bit affected. But then you try to talk to yourself and tell yourself what you are and what you need to do."

The wicketkeeper-batter said the scrutiny surrounding Indian cricketers can be difficult to escape but stressed the importance of maintaining clarity about one's approach. "I think definitely, yes, outside noise do affect cricketers in India. But you need to be very clear about what your mindset is... how do you want to prepare, how do you want to play... If I had paid attention to those things, I wouldn't be able to bat like this. I would have thought 10 times before batting that if I get out, then there will be a Wifi problem.

"So, I said it's okay. My international career has been good. The World Cup has also helped. So whatever pressure you're in, you realise what type of player you are and try to go out there and express yourself, keeping your team in front."

There is a lot of pressure on Samson with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi breathing down his neck for the opening slot.

Samson was replaced by Sooryavanshi after low scores in Ireland and the early matches in England. However, with the young batter producing a string of low scores in three matches, Samson returned in the fifth game.

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