India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson revealed that it was his first century during the South Africa T20I series in 2024 went on to be the 'turning-point' of his career. The 30-year-old had hit two centuries during the five-match centuries while batting as an opener, but it was the first one that meant the most for him. It came at a time when Samson was struggling to find his footing in India's T20I set-up and wasn't getting a lot of chances. But, the South Africa series completely changed things and the wicketkeeper-batter cemnted his spot in India's T20I squad.
Samson further opened up on the challenges that he faced during his early days in the Indian team. He pointed out that even though deep down he knew that he was good enough to play, he wasn't able to prove it as he wasn't getting much game-time.
“I think that was getting my first international hundred in South Africa. I was in and out of the side, playing a few games here and there. I knew deep down that I was good enough to play at the international level, the biggest stage cricket has ever seen. But until you prove it to people, you don’t get acceptance," Samson said on Sports Cast podcast.
“After that hundred, I don’t know what people were saying, but in my own head, I was totally convinced that yes, Sanju, you are made for this level. That was the moment when a lot of things changed internally. It was a series decider, and I knew if I didn’t perform, I could be dropped. So when I scored that challenging hundred, I told myself, if you can do this, you are meant for something even bigger," he added.
How did Samson perform in Asia Cup?
Meanwhile, Samson was recently seen in action during India's Asia Cup campaign. He played four innings during the tournament and finished with 132 runs. His highlights of the tournament were his half-century against Oman and a valuable knock of 39 against Sri Lanka in a Super 4 clash.
Has Samson been picked for Australia tour?
The 30-year-old will now be shifting his focus to the upcoming five-match T20I series against Australia that is set to commence from October 29. He has been picked in India's squad for the assignment and will be eager to continue his fine form in the shortest format in the coming games.