Sanju Samson credited his father’s decision to relocate the family to Kerala for shaping his successful cricket career.
Mumbai
India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has revealed that a bold decision taken by his father to relocate the family from Delhi to Kerala proved to be the defining moment in his cricketing journey. Speaking about his early struggles in Delhi’s highly competitive cricket system, Samson said the move gave him the opportunity that eventually helped him establish himself in Indian cricket.
Samson, who enjoyed a memorable campaign earlier this year by playing a key role in India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign on home soil and earning the Player of the Tournament award, admitted that his recent form has not been ideal. He managed scores of five and zero in the T20I series against Ireland before registering just one run in the rain-abandoned opening T20I against England in Durham.
Despite the recent setbacks, the experienced batter is expected to play an important role when India face England in the second T20 International at Old Trafford.
Recalling his childhood, Samson said he always dreamed of representing Delhi after seeing fellow young cricketers wearing the Delhi state team’s training jackets. Motivated by that ambition, he attended selection trials, participated in state camps, and consistently scored runs in age-group cricket.
Although he reached the final stages of selection on multiple occasions, Samson was unable to secure a place in the Delhi state team due to intense competition. He remembered returning home after one unsuccessful trial when his father, Viswanathan, made a life-changing decision that altered the family’s future.
According to Samson, his father immediately announced that the family would relocate to Kerala. While his mother suggested waiting until the children completed their schooling, his father insisted that the move could not be delayed. Within days, the family packed their belongings, boarded a train, and shifted to Kerala, where Samson began representing the Kerala state cricket team.
The wicketkeeper-batter credited that decision with giving his career a fresh direction, saying it marked the true beginning of his professional cricket journey. He acknowledged the immense sacrifice made by his parents, especially his father, who prioritised his son’s sporting ambitions over personal convenience.
Samson also reflected on his early years in Delhi, where he grew up in the police colony at GTB Nagar. He said his father, who was part of the Delhi Police football team, inspired his passion for sports by regularly attending training sessions in the mornings and evenings. Watching his father’s discipline and dedication instilled in him a deep love for athletics from a young age.
While Kerala ultimately became the platform that launched his cricket career, Samson emphasised that Delhi would always hold a special place in his life. He said the city shaped his childhood, introduced him to competitive sport, and laid the foundation for the journey that eventually took him to international cricket and success on the world stage.