Sanju Samson

Sanju Viswanath Samson (born 11 November 1994) is an Indian International cricketer.[2] He is the captain of both Rajasthan Royals in Indian Premier League and the Kerala in domestic cricket.[3][4][5] He was the Vice-captain of the India U-19 team for the 2014 Under 19 World Cup. Sanju became the first wicket-keeper batsman to score a double hundred in Vijay Hazare Trophy in the eighth instance when an Indian scored a double-century in List A cricket[6] scoring an unbeaten 212 for Kerala against Goa in 2019-20 Vijay Hazare Trophy which is also the highest individual score in Vijay Hazare Trophy and fastest double hundred in List A cricket.[7]

In this Indian name, the name Samson is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Sanju.

Sanju Samson
Personal information
Full nameSanju Viswanath Samson
Born (1994-11-11) 11 November 1994[1]
Pulluvila,Vizhinjam Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India
Height5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
BattingRight-handed batsman
BowlingRight-handed offbreak
RoleWicket-keeper
Batsman
Relations
Charulatha Remesh
​
(m. 2018)​
International information
National side
T20I debut (cap 55)19 July 2015 v Zimbabwe
Last T20I8 December 2020 v Australia
Domestic team information
YearsTeam
2011–presentKerala (squad no. 9)
2012Kolkata Knight Riders
2013–2015Rajasthan Royals (squad no. 8)
2016–2017Delhi Daredevils (squad no. 8)
2018–presentRajasthan Royals (squad no. 11)
Career statistics
Competition T20I FC LA T20
Matches 7 55 90 164
Runs scored 83 3,162 2,324 3,879
Batting average 11.85 37.64 30.57 27.12
100s/50s 0/0 10/12 1/13 2/24
Top score 23 211 212 102*
Catches/stumpings 3/1 73/7 96/12 86/14
Source: Cricinfo, 8 December 2020

He was the Vice-captain of the India U-19 team for the 2013 Top End Under-19 Series in Australia, 2013 ACC Under-19 Asia cup and 2014 Under 19 World Cup.[8] He is the second youngest player to score a half-century in the IPL achieved on 29 April 2013 in the match between Rajasthan Royals and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the age of 18.[9][10] The record was later surpassed by 17 year old Riyan Parag in 2019.[11] Sanju was adjudged as the "Best Young Player of the Season" (Later known Emerging player of the year) in the 2013 IPL through an official poll.[12] He was included in the Indian squad for the limited-overs matches in the 2014 tour of England.[13] He is the youngest batsman to pass 1,000 runs and 2,000 runs milestone in IPL. He was appointed the captain of Kerala in 2015-16 Ranji Trophy becoming the youngest cricketer to captain a Ranji side. His partnership with Sachin Baby against Goa is the 3rd highest partnership (of 338 runs) in List A cricket.[14]

Early life

Sanju was born on 11 November 1994 in Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram to Ligy Samson and Samson Viswanath.[15] His father, Samson Viswanath, was formerly a police constable at Delhi Police and a football player who has represented Delhi in Santhosh Trophy and his mother Ligy is a housewife.[16][17] Sanju's elder brother Saly Samson had represented Kerala in Junior cricket tournaments.[18] He later dropped his cricketing career due to injuries. Sanju spent his childhood in Delhi and studied at Rosary Senior Secondary School, Delhi. When he was eleven years old, his father took a revontary retirement from Delhi police and moved to Kerala when Sanju faliled to be selected in Delhi Under-13 team.[19] In Kerala he was trained under coach Biju George on Trivandrum Medical college ground.[20] He graduated high school from St. Joseph's Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.[21] He pursued a B.A. degree in English literature from Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram.[22]Apart from cricket, he aspires to become an IPS officer.[23]

Domestic career

Junior cricket

Sanju was a member of the Under-13 cricket team of Kerala. He captained the side and scored a century in his debut match and went on to score four centuries in five matches in the South Zone Under-13 tournament. He was also the captain of Under 16 and Under 19 Kerala State Cricket Team.[24] As a member of Kerala Under-16 Team, he scored a 200 not out off just 138 balls in a Vijay Merchant Trophy South Zone match against Goa.[24] He was the All-India leading run-scorer in the season and was selected to play in the Ranji Trophy for Kerala when he was 15 years of age.

His techniques combined with an ability to time the ball earned him a place in Kerala's U-19 team. Consistent outings in the Cooch Behar Trophy (domestic U-19 championship) elevated him into India's team for the 2012 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup.[25]

Sanju represented India in the 2012 ACC Under-19 Asia Cup held in Malaysia in June 2012. In the 2013 ACC Under 19 Asia cup in UAE, he scored a century in the final against Pakistan which helped India retain the cup. He was also the vice-captain of the team.[26]

In 2014, BCCI appointed Sanju Samson as vice-captain of team India for the 2014 Under-19 Cricket World Cup. Sanju was the top run-scorer for India in the tournament. In the 3rd Match of Group A in ICC Under-19 World Cup 2014 held in UAE, Sanju scored 85 runs from 45 balls against Papua New Guinea[27]

Sanju finished as India A's highest run-scorer with 244 runs from seven innings with two fifties with an average of 81.33.[28] He was also applauded by Indian coach Abhay Sharma for his temperament and batting technique, calling him 'The Future of India'.[29]

First-class career

Despite being a teenager, Sanju Samson has emerged as a prime contender to be the flag-bearer of cricket for the state of Kerala, one of the few regions in India where football's popularity and following outdoes that of cricket.[30] He was selected to play in the Ranji Trophy for Kerala when he was 15 years of age. He made his debut for the Kerala Ranji Trophy team on 3 November 2011.

He was Kerala's highest run-getter in 2013-14 Ranji Trophy season scoring 530 runs at an average of 58.88. He was appointed as the captain for the Kerala Ranji Trophy team for the 2015–16 Ranji Trophy season, thus becoming the youngest captain to lead a Ranji Trophy side in an entire tournament. He was the leading run-scorer for Kerala in the 2017–18 Ranji Trophy, with 627 runs in seven matches.[31]

In August 2018, he was one of eight players that were fined by the Kerala Cricket Association, after showing dissent against Kerala's captain, Sachin Baby.[32] In November 2018, he was named as one of eight players to watch ahead of the 2018–19 Ranji Trophy.[33]

Sanju was appointed as the captain of the Board President's XI side in place of injured Naman Ojha for the two-day tour match against Sri Lanka which was held on 11 November in Kolkata.[34]

List-A career

Sanju made his List-A debut for Kerala on February 23, 2012 against Andhra Pradesh on 2011-12 Vijay Hazare Trophy.[35] On 12 October 2019, in the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Kerala and Goa, Sanju scored the fastest double century in List A cricket.[36] It was the highest individual total in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, with an unbeaten 212 runs from 129 balls.[37] It was also the highest total made by a wicket-keeper in a List A cricket match.[38]

Twenty-20 career

On 21 September 2009, he was named on the Kerala squad to play the inagural season of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy at the age of 14.[39] He made his twenty-20 debut for Kerala on 16 October 2011 against Hyderabad in the 2011-12 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.[40] He was the highest run-getter of Kerala in the 2014-15 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy[41] and 2017-18 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.[42] On 30 December 2020, he was named the captain of Kerala in 2020-21 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.[43]

Indian Premier League

In the IPL, he was a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders players pool in 2012 but did not get to play.

In 2013, he was signed to play for Rajasthan Royals.[44] He made his IPL debut for Rajasthan on 13 April 2013 after their regular wicket-keeper Dishant Yagnik failed to recover from an injury.

"The Kerala cricketer’s calm performance won him many admirers and he may prove to be one of the answers to Royals' problems in the middle-order".

— The Hindu on Sanju Samson's performance on his IPL debut match[45]

"Must confess I like the look of Sanju Samson. The first time I saw him play the good crop coming from Kerala."

Cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle's tweet on seeing Sanju Samson bat — [46]

Sanju played his second match for Rajasthan Royals against the Royal Challengers Bangalore on 29 April 2013 were he was promoted up the batting order to No:3. He scored 63 off 41 balls and his partnership with Shane Watson of 68 runs off 46 balls laid the foundation for the Rajasthan Royals's victory. He won the Man-of-the-Match award for this performance. With the half-century, he became the youngest player to score a half-century in an IPL match. He achieved this feat at 18 years and 169 days breaking the previous record set in 2008 by Shreevats Goswami of Royal Challengers Bangalore who achieved the feat at 19 years and 1 day.[47][48] This record was later broken by 17 year old Riyan Parag of Rajasthan Royals on 2019. Sanju won the Best Young Player award (Later known as Emerging player of the year award) of 2013 IPL season.

Before the IPL 2014 season, Rajasthan Royals retained Sanju. For the 2015 IPL season Sanju Samson couldn't bring justice to his cause as he recorded only one 50 plus scores in the 15 matches he played.

In 2016, the IPL Franchise Delhi Daredevils signed him for a fee of 4.2 crores, in the IPL auction as his former team Rajasthan Royals was banned for two years. Sanju scored his maiden T20 century in IPL 2017 against Rising Pune Supergiant on 11 April 2017 at Maharastra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune.[49]

In January 2018, he was again bought by Rajasthan Royals for Rs. 8 Crores in the 2018 IPL auction.[50] On 29 March 2019, Sanju Samson scored his second IPL century against Sunrisers Hyderabad hitting 102 not out off 55 balls which included 10 fours and 4 sixes. This was also the first century of IPL 2019 tournament. [51] In the next match on 31 March 2019, against Chennai Super Kings after scoring 2 more runs, he became the youngest batsman to score 2000 runs in the history of IPL. On IPL 2020, Sanju Samson scored a 32-ball 74 against Chennai Super Kings and was named man of the match. His innings consisted of 9 sixes, the joint-most by a batsman in IPL 2020.[52] Five days later, on 27 September 2020, he scored 85 runs from 42 balls against Kings XI Punjab helping Rajasthan Royals to achieve the highest successful run chase in IPL history, and was declared the man of the match.[53] In the match against Sunrisers Hyderabad he became the second youngest cricketer after Virat Kohli to complete 100 matches in IPL.[54] He finished the tournament being Rajasthan's top run-scorer in the season with three half centuries.

On 20 January 2021, he was named the captain of Rajasthan Royals ahead of the 2021 Indian Premier League.[55]

Champions League

Sanju made his CLT20 debut against the Mumbai Indians on 21 September 2013. He came in at No. 3 and scored 54 off 47 balls thus becoming the youngest player to score a half-century in the CLT20.

Sanju scored 192 runs in 6 matches including 3 half-centuries with an average of 39 runs at a strike rate of 127 and was the 6th highest run-scorer of the tournament. He smashed 22 fours and 5 sixes along with 5 catches and a stumping.

International cricket

In August 2014, Sanju was selected to the 17-man squad to play against England in 5 ODIs and a Twenty20.[56] However, he did not make it to the final eleven on any of the matches and remained a backup keeper to MS Dhoni.

Sanju was frequently called to the national team but never made it to the playing XI, until he made his International debut against Zimbabwe at Harare, in July 19,2015.[57][58]

In October 2019, he was named in India's Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series against Bangladesh but was benched in the whole series.[59]

In November 2019, he was again called to the T20I series against West Indies vs India, after an injury to Shikhar Dhawan.[60] He played the 3rd T20I against Sri Lanka.[61]

He was selected for the T20I series of the India tour of New Zealand and was part of the playing eleven as an opener.[62] Though he couldn't create the desired impact with the bat, his acrobatic catch in the deep made people take note of his fielding process.[63][64]

In October 2020, he was named in India's Twenty20 International (T20I) squad for their series against Australia.[65][66] On 9 November 2020, he was added to India's One Day International (ODI) squad, also for their series against Australia.[67]

He failed to break into the playing eleven of India in the oneday series though he played all the three twenty 20 matches.[68] He didn't have a great series, scoring a total of 48 runs from 3 innings.[69][70] His fielding efforts were once again appreciated by the critics.[71]

Playing style

Samson is considered an aggressive batsman. He is an excellent timer of the ball with quality batting and keeping techniques.[72] He is a player who showcases easy power like Rohit Sharma and AB de Villiers.[73] He is among the few Indian cricketers who play in an attacking style from the beginning of an innings. Several cricket analysists have even went forward to describe him as one of the very few Indian T20 batsmen who plays with a T20 mindset.[74]

He has a fearless batting style, which was once complimented by Virat Kohli.[75] He is also considered as a good fielder. His fielding efforts were quickly recognised and appreciated by the critics in his short-span international career were he is yet to create an impact with his bat.[76] He is often criticised for his inconsistency in and lack of temperament.[77][78]

Outside cricket

Personal life

Sanju announced his marriage with long-time girlfriend Charulatha Remesh, a native of Trivandrum on 8 September 2018 through his social media platforms.[79] The couple were college-mates from Mar Ivanios College. The marriage took place in a private ceremony in Thiruvananthapuram on 22 December 2018.[80]

Sports academy

On 2018, Sanju started a sports academy namely Six Guns Sports Academy devoted to cricket and football training for young players in Thiruvananthapuram.[81]

Commercial endorsements

Samson has been sponsored by the brands like Kookaburra, MRF and Sareen Sports (SS).[82][83] He has endorsed other brands including Bharatpe and haeal.[84][85]

See also

References
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