IPL: RR need to play better standard of cricket to win more games, says Sanju Samson

Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson was dejected after his team’s humiliating 86th series defeat at the hands of Kolkata Knights in match 54 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 on Thursday.

Samson believes that Rajasthan need to play a better standard of cricket to win more games in this tournament.

Nothing went in RR’s favour as KKR piled up 171/4 (highest total in Sharjah this season) and then the Sanju Samson-led team were bundled out for 85 as Eoin Morgan’s team came up with an impressive bowling performance, led by fiery spells from Shivam Mavi (4/21) and Lockie Ferguson (3/18).

Samson said 171 was chaseable on this wicket but his team failed to execute the plan in the powerplay and lost early wickets.

“I think to be very honest it was a better wicket. It was staying a little low with the new ball but it was a better wicket,” Samson said in the post-match presentation ceremony.

“171 was chaseable on this wicket. I think we wanted to get a good start. We needed a powerful powerplay. We wanted to execute whatever we planned but we didn’t execute.I think if you look at the whole season, we have gone through many challenges. We showed character though and am proud of the boys,” Samson added.

Samson also analysed all that went wrong with RR’s campaign this year, which is over now. On personal front, the wicketkeeper-batsman ended his campaign with 484 runs from 14 matches at an average of 40.33 and strike rate of 136.72.

“We won some close games and lost some easy ones. We need to play a better standard of cricket to win more games in this tournament. Everyone came up with positive vibes, People were ready to go out there and win games for us. Being the skipper, I changed the way I look at my innings. It was always about thinking about the match situations. I would have loved to win more games despite scoring a lot of runs,” Samson further added.