Christchurch [New Zealand], October 22 : As India scripted history by completing their highest-ever successful run chase in T20I cricket, reaching 230/6 with two balls to spare in the opening T20I against New Zealand, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson stressed the importance of staying focused on his game and trusting his process amid the scrutiny and opinions that come with representing India. 
He emphasised that his motivation is not to prove his critics wrong but to remain committed to his practice, keep things simple and concentrate on what he can control, rather than being distracted by outside noise.
“To be very honest, you can’t focus on what people on social media or others are saying. You have to stay committed to the process and create the right environment for yourself. Playing for Indian cricket is not easy, with so much noise and so many people having their own opinions. But I don’t play this game with the mindset of proving anyone wrong. I keep my cricket at the forefront, trust my process, respect my practice and focus on doing the best I can. I like to keep things simple and stay focused on what I can control, rather than letting outside opinions influence my mindset,” Samson told the reporters after the match. 
Samson’s brilliant half-century put India on course before a sensational finishing masterclass by Naman Dhir secured a thrilling four-wicket victory over New Zealand in the opening T20I at Hagley Oval, taking a 1-0 lead in the five-match series.
Samson credited India’s fearless approach across all phases of the innings for their record-breaking chase, emphasising the team’s intent to seize the initiative early and maintain pressure on the opposition.
He stressed that the attacking mindset, adopted across the Indian team following their 2024 T20 World Cup triumph, is built on backing their strengths, maintaining consistency and prioritising the team’s interests, even when the approach does not always yield the desired results.
“We approach the powerplay, middle overs and death overs very differently. Even when chasing 170, if we get off to a flying start, we make sure we try to finish the game in the powerplay itself. That’s something we’ve been doing really well over the last couple of years,” Samson told the reporters after the match. 
“I think that’s the mentality we’ve developed. It’s not just Abhi and me; whoever represents Indian cricket is following this style, especially since we won the 2024 World Cup. We just have to stick to what’s working for us as a team, keep building on it and try to execute it in every game. Sometimes it comes off beautifully, and sometimes it doesn’t, but we have to keep believing in ourselves, putting the team first and continuing to play this way,” he added. 
While Samson's 33-ball 67 anchored the top order and laid a formidable foundation, a mid-innings collapse threatened to derail the visitors before Dhir's power-hitting 15-ball 42* got them across the line in a high-octane Christchurch thriller.
The action now moves forward as both sides prepare for the second encounter of the series.