Senior India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson says he has decided even before the 2026 T20 World Cup that he will stop worrying about outside opinions and play cricket on his own terms. He added that he no longer wants to be part of the “rat race” and will continue to trust his own instincts.Samson, who scored three consecutive fifties as India retained the Men’s T20 World Cup title earlier this year, was soon ruled out of the Zimbabwe tour after a dip in form during the Ireland and England series.“I realized that there is always a rat race in our country, and I decided before the 2026 T20 World Cup that I will not be a part of it. I just want to enjoy the game. By the grace of God, I have achieved a lot. I am 31 now, and I have a few years left. So, I decided to play on my own terms. Nobody tells me how to bat or what to do. Sanju will decide for Sanju.”“With all due respect, I will play, enjoy the game, be a good teammate, and support the group, but I will do it my way. After the 2024 World Cup, I don’t even expect to play in the 2026 World Cup. I won’t be in the 14 or 15-man squad at one point. So how do I plan for 2028, and if I have to play? Well, things will fall into place when no, I am very grateful that nothing is taken from me,” Samson told JioStar, as quoted by news agency IANS.Samson also recalled a conversation with the former Indian captain Virat Kohli: during a national team camp, said Kohli advised him to focus on discipline and lifestyle to build a long international career.“We all know what Virat bhai is. He is very clear and very straightforward with everything. If you need to do something, he will tell you what is needed. The way he carries himself in the gym, that guy has a different fire and I really like him.“We were both working out together in the gym during an Indian team camp and I asked him, ‘Paaji, what should I do? Tell me too!’ and he told me that lifestyle plays a big role. If you want to become an international cricketer, you have to maintain a different kind of lifestyle.“He shared what worked for him on his journey and told me, ‘This food helps your body recover, it doesn’t. If you maintain this discipline for the next 10 years, you have a great career ahead of you.’ I started following it for a year, a year, and a half, but after that, I couldn’t continue that anymore!” he explained.Speaking about India’s T20 World Cup semi-final against England at the Wankhede Stadium, Samson said he was ignoring discussions about his previous record against England fast bowlers. Jofra Archer: because he believes he has improved as a batter.“When you score runs for the Indian team, you become more responsible, knowing that you have to keep scoring. Before the T20 World Cup semi-final against England, our top order was not firing much. Many people came and told me, ‘This is England, Archer was bowling, he dismissed you 3-4 times before, this happened, that happened.’“But I’m confident. I don’t say anything loudly. If you talk too much, you’ll come across as arrogant, and that’s against my beliefs. So, I just signaled silently, ‘Yes, let’s meet.’ But I have my plans ready. I know this Sanju Samson is not the Sanju Samson from a year ago. After the knock in West Indies, I had a lot of self-validation, and I was sure of myself. There is no room for doubt. I will do it for my country, and nothing can stop it.“Recalling the World Cup final against New Zealand, Samson said he felt responsible for bringing India’s batting after being the team’s main run-scorer during the tournament.“One thing I’ve learned is that you can’t control form all the time. Form comes and goes. At that point in our team setup, I was running.“Others at the other end also contributed, but most of the burden of run-scoring was on me. I felt the responsibility of being the main run-scorer in the World Cup final against New Zealand.“I kept reminding myself, ‘Sanju, you are responsible. You have to keep going. You have to stay there till the end and finish the job for your country.’ That thought kept me focused throughout the innings,” he explained.