Sanju Samson : Face of Kerala Cricket

Sanju Viswanath Samson was born on 11 November 1994 in Pulluvila village near Vizhinjam in Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. His journey in cricket started in Delhi, where he was trained under coach Yashmak at the academy in DL DAV Model School, Shalwar Bag, Delhi.

Later, he moved to Kerala, where he attended the Masters Cricket Club in Thiruvananthapuram under the trainer, Bijou Georgian, an Indian former cricketer, where Samson improved his cricketing skills. Apart from cricket, Samson’s childhood dream was to become an IPS officer.

Full name	Sanju Viswanath Samson
Place	Pulluvila, Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Height	5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Jersey No	9
Batting Style	Right-hand Batter
Fielding Position	Wicketkeeper
Mother’s Name	Ligy Viswanath
Father’s Name	Samson Viswanath
Sibblings	Saly Samson (Elder brother)
National side	India (2015–present)
IPL	Rajasthan Royals

Table of Contents

Family

Sanju Samson belongs to a Latin Catholic Malayali family. His father, Samson Viswanath, was a police constable at the Delhi Police and also a football player who represented Delhi in the Santosh Trophy, and his mother, Lili Viswanath, is a housewife. His elder brother, Sale Samson, was also a cricketer who represented Kerala in junior cricket.

When Sanju was not selected for the Delhi Under-13 team for the Dhruv Pandove Trophy, his father took a very bold decision and took the voluntary retirement from the Delhi police, and also retired from football a year later and moved to Kerala to secure the future of Samson and his brother’s cricketing career.

Read Also: Shubman Gill’s Biography: Records, Struggles & Stardom

Domestic Career

Sanju Samson’s domestic career began early in 2008-09 by scoring a double century in the Vijay Merchant Trophy. This led to his selection for Kerala’s 2009-10 Kanji Trophy squad at the age of 14, making him the youngest player to represent Kerala in the tournament. He debuted in the first-class cricket’s Kanji Trophy in 2011-12 and T20s and List-A cricket in the same year.

Samson’s impressive knock came in the 2013-14 Kanji Trophy, where he scored his career-best 211 runs and ended the season as Kerala’s top run-scorer with 530 runs. He continued to shine with a second double-century in the 2014-15 Kanji Trophy.

Samson was also part of the India A squad during the 2014 Australia A Quadrangular Series, where he finished as the highest run-scorer with 244 runs. His performances provided the spots in the South Zone squads for the Dollar Trophy in 2013 and 2014, marking a successful domestic career that entitled him to be recognized as a promising talent.

International Career

Sanju Samson made his international debut for India in 2015 by playing his first ODI and T20I against Zimbabwe. Sanju’s opportunities in the national team have been limited, but he has also shown glimpses of his talent, particularly in the T20 format. Samson’s performance as a batsman and wicket-keeper has gained him a place in India’s T20I squad, where he has impressed with his aggressive intent. But Samson had only limited opportunities in the ODI. Samson is one of the consistent players in T20Is, making significant contributions in the matches played. His ability to play big shots and great knocks and his solid wicket-keeping techniques have made him a valuable asset in the shorter formats.

IPL Career

Sanju Samson is one of the popular power hitter of the IPL since making his debut in 2013. He initially joined and played for the Rajasthan Royals, and between the two-season ban for RR, He joined the Delhi Daredevils team in 2016. There, he spent two seasons playing several important innings for the team and returned to the Rajasthan Royals in 2018. Samson has been a loyal & key player for several seasons for RR; he is known for his explosive batting at the top of the order, showcasing his ability to score quickly and take down the best bowlers. Over the years, he has established himself as one of the most consistent performers in the IPL by playing great knocks with a high strike rate.

In 2021, Samson was appointed the captain of the Rajasthan Royals, a responsibility that highlighted his leadership and maturity as a cricketer. Under his captaincy, he has led RR with a focus on young talent while also contributing with the bat. His ability to anchor the innings or accelerate when required has made him a crucial player for his team.