Sanju Samson may seem like a quiet and unassuming young man away from cricket pitch, but as soon as he steps out into the middle his personality shines through courtesy of an array of classical drives and powerful hits down the ground.
His phenomenal performances in the U19 Cricket World Cup have caught the eye of many and he is quickly building a reputation as the next prodigious talent to emerge from India.
Currently the vice-captain of the U19 side, who are the favorites to retain the trophy they won back in 2012, Samson appears to be enjoying playing on pitches across the UAE as his brutal performance against Papua New Guinea proved.
The wicket-keeper batsman fired a blistering 84 from just 48 balls as India crushed PNG to qualify for the quarter-finals of the tournament.
The knock included eight fours and four sixes as he made a mockery of the slow pitches that have led to many batsmen struggling to clear the boundary.
The 19 year old, who also plays for Indian Premier League side Rajasthan Royals, began the year in superb form scoring a flawless century against Pakistan in the final of the Asia Cup before once again impressing against the same side in the first game of the World Cup.
A well constructed innings of 68 helped India secure a morale boasting victory against India’s great rivals. It is clear that he is full of confidence and enjoying his time in the middle but speaking exclusively to Sport360, Sansom admitted he was solely concentrating on helping the team.
“I have really been enjoying my batting lately, getting some good runs on the board. But it is not about me, it is completely about my team,” explained Samson.
“Whenever the team needs me I just want to perform my best and help them achieve victory. We are doing great as a team and we will have to wait and see what happens in the future.
“Our goal is to win the World Cup, but you can never predict what happens in a game of cricket. We are the reigning champions so there is a lot of expectation on us to perform but we do not let it get to us.”
Samson certainly appears to have a level head despite being earmarked as one of the stars of the future. Having started playing cricket the age of 12 he quickly caught the eye while representing his state in the South Zone Under-12 tournament.
Samson continued to play in regional tournaments where his impressive technique and aggressive batting led to him being selected by IPL side Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012. However, he did not get a start any matches in his first year.
Just one year later his rapid rise continued while playing for the Rajasthan Royals. He is the youngest player to have scored a half century in the IPL and developed a reputation of scoring crucial runs under pressure.
His ability with the bat and assured nature behind the stumps led him to an U19 India call up and his confident performances for the team landed him the responsibility of becoming vice-captain.
Inspired by the likes of AB de Villiers and Indian cricket legend Rahul Dravid, the impressive youngster feels that his time in the gulf nation has been hugely beneficial.
“It is a really nice place to come and play and fortunately I have been getting a lot of runs here. I feel really happy playing in the UAE,” added Samson.
His captain Vijay Zol has also been quick to praise the performance of his reliable teammate.
“He is a great mate of mine and has been performing outstandingly for the U19 team for a long time,” Zol told Sport360. “Having him in the team is a great boost for everyone and with the kind of experience that he has, it helps me perform better as a captain too.”
Coach Bharat Arun also predicts hugely successful career for Samson, saying: “He is an outstanding kid and is phenomenally talented as well. I believe he is a very exciting prospect and will reach great heights in the future.”
Should Samson help India reclaim the World Cup then it may not be long before he is handed the chane to excel for the senior side. And with his flawless technique and aggressive manner, he is sure to be a huge success.
