Reflecting on the turning point in his international career, Samson admitted he could see the selectors' thinking change as Kishan grabbed his opportunity.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"After that, Ishan came in, and his story was completely different. He wasn't even in the team. He won Jharkhand the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy almost single-handedly, then came into the Indian team and was batting on a different level altogether. I could clearly see that Ishan was moving above me in the pecking order,\u201d Samson told JioStar.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Kishan capitalised on his opportunity with a string of impactful innings, while Samson endured a lean run in the five-match series, leaving the Kerala batter convinced that the race for a World Cup berth had effectively ended.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"You get five matches and score 24, 6, 6, 10 and 0, then another guy comes in, scores 70-odd straightaway, gets a hundred later in the series, and the next match is directly in the T20 World Cup. Anyone would prefer an in-form batter. It was clear that the World Cup was done for me. Whatever had to happen had happened, and the only thing I could do was sit quietly and clap,\u201d he added.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The 31-year-old said the disappointment was particularly painful because it came just when he believed he had finally established himself in India's T20I setup after a remarkable run of form.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"That's the spice of being an Indian cricketer, actually. Everything can change in a single day. The same thing happened with me as well. When I was given those seven matches, I don't think even I would have imagined that I would score three hundreds in those seven games,\u201d he expressed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Samson said that success had convinced many that his place in the side was secure, but he never allowed himself to think that way. The wicketkeeper-batter also admitted that the setback taught him an important lesson about balancing preparation with mental well-being.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\"That's the spice of being an Indian cricketer, actually. Everything can change in a single day. The same thing happened with me as well. When I was given those seven matches, I don't think even I would have imagined that I would score three hundreds in those seven games,\u201d he expressed.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Samson revealed that it was during this difficult phase that he realised relentless practice alone was not the answer, as he said, \"I realised I was overdoing it, and my wife was right, being happy and mentally in a good space is much more important than putting in hours and hours of practice. The New Zealand series taught me that.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n