'We play 8 PM, he wakes up at 5. Sleepy during meeting, then wins us the game': Samson narrates RR star's bizarre story

Hindustan Times

2 days ago

Rajasthan Royals endured a difficult 2025 season under a new team management, with Rahul Dravid joining as head coach to work with Sanju Samson. The side finished ninth in the table with just four wins in 14 matches, and roughly two months after the season, rumors began about Sanju Samson potentially leaving the franchise. Rajasthan Royals' captain Sanju Samson watches the ball after playing a shot during the Indian Premier League(AFP)
Despite leading the team to the IPL 2022 final and establishing himself as a key figure in the squad, Samson's future with the Royals remains in doubt. Amid the growing speculations over his place in the team, Sanju Samson sat with former RR teammate and India great Ravichandran Ashwin, speaking in detail about his time so far with the Royals, and how captaincy has changed his outlook towards the game.
'Captaincy has opened up my perspective and helped me to accept these kind of ways. There is no one way of succeeding in cricket. I don't believe that there is only one way. When people are trying different things, I like to back them instead of questioning them,' Samson stated during an appearance on Ravichandran Ashwin's show, Kutti Stories with Ash.
This mindset is perfectly embodied in his teammate Shimron Hetmyer's unusual matchday routine, which Samson described with both amusement and admiration. Hetmyer, known for his power-hitting prowess and sometimes erratic international career, follows a laid-back pre-game schedule that would raise eyebrows in any professional setup.
'But this guy, the match is at 8 PM, he will wake up at 5 PM, and be all sleepy during team meetings and all. Then he will score the most important runs for the team and win them the game. So, there is a way to do like that also,' Samson revealed.
Samson on change after captaincy
Sanju also reminisced about his own disciplined routines before captaincy, emphasizing how his focus used to be narrower, centered mainly on his individual performance.
'Before I was a captain, I was a player; at that time, it was only about my ways. I'm like I need to do these things, these kinds of practices. I need to score runs at these kind of patterns, and that is how success is made.'
But the captaincy role expanded his understanding, teaching him to embrace and trust the different personalities and methods within the team.