Clear mind does the trick for Chennai's red-hot Samson

NEW DELHI: While some batters arrive at away grounds determined to play a certain way regardless of the pitch, Chennai Super ​Kings’ Sanju Samson says his red-hot form in the Indian ‌Premier League is a product of adaptability and an open mind.

After single-digit scores in his first three IPL knocks, Samson smashed his second hundred of the ​season against Mumbai Indians on Thursday, his unbeaten 101 off ​54 balls setting up Chennai’s 103-run victory over the five-time ⁠champions.

With 293 runs from seven innings, Samson is now third in ​the leading scorers’ list this season behind Sunrisers Hyderabad duo Abhishek Sharma (323) ​and Heinrich Klaasen (320).

Samson said it was not a typical Wankhede pitch and he had to adjust his game as the ball did not come nicely onto the ​bat.

“I think the game tells you what to do,” he added.

“I ​think you don’t have to come with a preconceived mindset, or you don’t have ‌to ⁠be premeditating – this is how I play or this is what I want to do.

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“You can definitely say that this is the way I play… It is my responsibility to understand the game situation, ​what the team ​demands, and then ⁠plan my game around it.

“I definitely go with a very open mindset.”

The 31-year-old, who was player of ​the tournament when India defended their T20 World Cup ​title earlier ⁠this year, also relished handing Mumbai their biggest defeat in the IPL in front of their own fans at the Wankhede Stadium.

“It really feels ⁠great ​to score a century in Wankhede against ​MI,” Samson said after the win, which helped Chennai climb to fifth place in the ​10-team league.