IPL 2021: "I like the way he keeps everything very simple" - Kumar Sangakkara impressed with Sanju Samson's captaincy

Rajasthan Royals' (RR) Director of Cricket Kumar Sangakkara recently praised captain Sanju Samson for keeping things clear, simple and direct as the captain of the side.

The former Sri Lanka captain went on to suggest that Samson does well when he sticks to his natural game. Kumar Sangakkara also pointed out how the youngster was handed the captaincy of the team under challenging circumstances.

He also seemed confident about Samson's future as skipper of the inaugural IPL champions. The young glovesman impressed the Sri Lankan veteran with his impressive captaincy despite not having a full-strength squad at his disposal.

“I really think Sanju Samson does well when he’s Sanju Samson. He’s a very impressive cricketer and a very bright young man. He’s got a balanced head on his shoulders, and I like the way he keeps everything very simple, clear and direct. His captaincy was very impressive given he had to take over at a tough time without a full-strength squad. So we’ll keep talking to him and supporting him to make sure he’s excelling in his game and is going to be an excellent captain for the franchise," said Sangakkara.

Samson notably replaced Steve Smith as RR's captain ahead of the IPL 2021. The team management entrusted the wicketkeeper-batsman with reviving their team's fortunes after they finished as the wooden spooners in the previous edition of the cash rich-league.

Kumar Sangakkara praises Jaydev Undadkat's spirited performances

Sangakkara also lauded left-arm pacer Jaydev Unadkat for his hard work and determination and commended the player for coming up with an improved performance during the first phase of IPL 2021.

The 43-year-old highlighted the frequent ups and downs of Unadkat's career. He was impressed with how the left-armer deal with the same to contribute to his team.

"Earlier this year, I was particularly impressed with JD (Jaydev Unadkat) because we all know that he has gone through some difficult phases in his career. But I think he really stepped up during the first phase of IPL 2021. His bowling was outstanding and that just goes to show that you can come back from a setback and start doing well if you put in the work," said Sangakkara.

Jaydev Unadkat featured in four games in the IPL 2021 and has as many wickets to his name. He earned appreciation from all quarters for bowling at a superb economy rate of 7.06.

Wake me up when September begins. 😍#IPL2021 | #HallaBol | #RoyalsFamily | #IPLFixtures pic.twitter.com/2CrGOCNtGO

— Rajasthan Royals (@rajasthanroyals) July 25, 2021

Sanju Samson and his men have an uphill task ahead

Rajasthan are fifth in the points table with three wins from seven fixtures. However, they will be without the services of Jos Butler, Jofra Archer and Ben Stokes in the second phase of the tournament.

However, they will be hoping their new additions Evin Lewis, Oshane Thomas, Glenn Phillips and Tabraiz Shamsi will make a significant impact as they aim for their second championship title in the flagship T20 tournament.