Eric Simons Lauds Dhoni and Samson for Their Composure in Cricket
Simons Praises Dhoni and Samson's Composure
Eric Simons, the bowling coach for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), commended MS Dhoni and Sanju Samson for their remarkable composure and profound understanding of cricket. He characterized Dhoni as one of the most composed players he has encountered, while also noting that Samson exhibits a similar calmness, remaining confident and not over-preparing. In a post-match press conference, Simons stated, "Having spent many years with Dhoni, I can say he is among the calmest cricketers I've ever met. Sanju Samson mirrors that mindset; he comprehends the game well, showing no panic or excessive practice, perhaps even less."
'No Doubt' About Samson's Talent
Following a challenging start with his new Indian Premier League (IPL) team, Samson made a stunning comeback by scoring a magnificent century against the Delhi Capitals (DC) in Chennai. Simons highlighted that a player of Samson's caliber is bound to recover from a slump in form. He emphasized that there was never any uncertainty regarding Samson's abilities, urging that elite players must have faith in their skills, maintain confidence, and practice patience, as success is sure to follow. "With a player of his class, a bad run is merely temporary. Sometimes it’s about luck; he faced a brilliant delivery from (Nandre) Burger in one match. It’s just how cricket works—one ball goes for four, another leads to a catch. There was never any doubt this performance was coming, and it’s crucial for a player of his stature to keep trusting in his quality," Simons remarked.
Samson Achieves Historic IPL Century
Samson made history by becoming the first player in IPL history to score centuries for three different franchises, achieving his first century with CSK. After a few disappointing performances, he bounced back with an impressive unbeaten 115 runs off 56 balls, featuring 11 fours and four sixes, at a strike rate of 205.36. Out of his four IPL centuries, two were scored for Rajasthan Royals (in the 2019 and 2021 seasons) and one for Delhi Capitals (in the 2017 season).
Samson Joins Elite Six-Hitting Club
In addition, Samson reached a significant milestone by hitting his 400th six in T20 cricket, becoming the fourth Indian to achieve this feat, following Rohit Sharma (554), Virat Kohli (441), and Suryakumar Yadav (442). He now boasts a total of 401 sixes in the shortest format of the game.