Sanju Samson is a popular Indian cricketer known for his stylish batting and temper. Born on November 11, 1994, in Kerala, he is a right-handed wicketkeeper-batsman, skillful enough to be the anchor as well as the aggressor of an innings. He is captain of Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League, where he has been praised for his calm, considered leadership and consistent scoring. Sanju’s attacking flair as well as his dependable wicketkeeping area squat unexplored potential for Indian cricket.
One of India’s best wicketkeeper-batsmen, Sanju Samson, is respected for his elegant stroke play, composed personality, and capacity to both anchor and speed up an innings. Sanju, who rose from Kerala’s domestic circuit, has gradually established himself as a trustworthy middle-order batsman and an innate leader. A reliable player in the Indian Premier League (IPL), he is renowned for his graceful batting and fast reflexes behind the stumps. He currently leads from the front with maturity and expertise as the captain of the Rajasthan Royals.
Biography of Sanju Samson
- Real Name: Sanju Samson
- Full Name: Sanju Viswanath Samson
- Nickname: Sanju
- Profession: Professional Cricketer (Wicketkeeper-Batsman)
- Famous for: His elegant stroke play, wicketkeeping skills, and captaincy of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.
- Best Performance: 119 off 63 balls for Rajasthan Royals against Punjab Kings in IPL 2021.
- Salary (2025): ₹14 Crore (IPL contract with Rajasthan Royals).
- Monthly Income: Estimated ₹50–60 lakhs (including IPL, endorsements, and domestic cricket).
- Website URL: N/A
- Instagram Handle: @imsanjusamson
Physical Status
- Height: 5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
- Weight: Approx. 62 kg
- Body Measurements: Chest 40 inches – Waist 32 inches – Biceps 13 inches
- Eye Colour: Black
- Hair Colour: Black
Personal Life
- Date Of Birth: November 11, 1994
- Place Of Birth: Trivandrum, Kerala, India
- Nationality: Indian
- Hometown: Vizhinjam, Trivandrum, Kerala
- School: Rosary Senior Secondary School, Delhi & St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram
- College: Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram
- Highest Education Qualification: Graduate in English Literature
Family Statistics
- Marital Status: Married
- Wife: Charulatha Samson (married in 2018)
- Children: N/A
- Parents: Father – Viswanath Samson (Retired Police officer, Delhi Police), Mother – Ligy Samson (Homemaker)
- Siblings: Elder brother – Saly Samson (worked in AG’s office)
- Religion: Christian
- Other Hobbies: Playing football, reading books, traveling
Early Life of Sanju Samson:
Sanju Viswanath Samson was born on November 11, 1994, in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. His mother, Ligy Samson, was a full-time homemaker, and his father, Samson Viswanath, was a former player of the Delhi Police football team, a later police constable in Kerala. Sanju was brought up in a very orderly environment, which greatly promoted sporting activities. At a young age, Sanju develops an interest in cricket due to the athletic nature of his father. He got inspired by his elder brother, Saly Samson, who was also a cricket player. Although having inadequate money, Sanju demonstrated very early signs of natural ability with bat and gloves as he learned how to play the game on the local grounds.
Education:
Sanju Samson completed his studies in St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram. Later, he went to Mar Ivanios College, Kerala, where he did a bachelor’s degree in English literature. Although his childhood was affected by academics, cricket was the first thing that interested him. His peers and teachers describe him as a model student who regularly balances his time between his studies and cricket practice. Sanju attended the school activities and was a good age-group cricketer despite the heavy schedule. In addition to fostering discipline, his early schooling assisted him in becoming a better leader. Even though he didn’t go to college very much, playing cricket turned into a lifelong learning experience for him.
Sanju Samson: Cricket Journey
With Kerala’s Under-13 and Under-16 teams, Sanju started his cricket career. There, he made a lot of runs and won over selectors with his aggressive yet calm batting approach. His breakthrough came in the 2011–12 Cooch Behar Trophy season, which not only saw him score 1,000+ runs but also a triple century along the way. He has emerged as a very useful cricketer in Indian cricket because of that. He made his Ranji Trophy debut for Kerala in 2011. He signed a deal with the Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012 as a result of his impressive domestic play, but he was never allowed to play. Eventually, greater opportunities were made possible by his unwavering drive for success.
Journey in the IPL and Domestic
The 2013 Indian Premier League season marked Sanju Samson’s breakthrough with the Rajasthan Royals (RR). He became one of the league’s youngest stars at the age of 18, scoring runs consistently and making an impression with his maturity and shot selection. Even in 2013, he received the Emerging Player of the Season honour. Sanju has turned out to be the bulwark of RR throughout the years, and in 2021, he was made captain. In domestic cricket, he has represented Kerala in the Ranji Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, where he has often led the team. He was a fan favourite with his ambitious batting and smooth cover drives in the cricketing field, whether in domestic cricket or the IPL.
International Career
Sanju Samson made his Twenty20 International debut on July 19, 2015, versus Zimbabwe. His consistent performance in IPL ensured that he remained a candidate even when his early opportunities were not promising. Through many years of intense training, he was added to the India ODI team, playing his first official match on July 23, 2021, against Sri Lanka. Sanju is regarded as a real prospect to play in the Indian middle order in the white-ball forms mainly because of his fierce batting style and excellent wicketkeeping. Despite intense rivalry for the wicketkeeper position, there have been those selectors who have still regarded him due to his versatility and successful performance in situations of stress.
Injuries and Comebacks of Sanju Samson:
Sanju has suffered various injuries and disappointments in his career. A wicket-keeper batsman has to be a physically very fit player, and his ascendancy on the international front was not achieved, as he had suffered occasional injuries. Sanju never came back after these failures, weaker, took advantage of the recovery period to perfect his skills, and improve his level of fitness. His mental strength has come out clearly based on being able to concentrate even though he is in and out of the Indian team. He recorded high returns in the IPL with match-winning innings in spite of his criticism due to inconsistent performances. These events indicate the determination of Sanju to become a leading Cricket player.
Personal Life of Sanju Samson:
Sanju Samson has a reputation off the field of being a modest and grounded fellow. He married his long-time college friend Charulatha during a secret ceremony in 2018, in Thiruvananthapuram. Sanju does not tell anything about her personal life, she appreciates the simple things, and likes family. When not playing cricket, he enjoys working out and, on a regular basis, posts sneak peeks of his workouts on social media. His balanced lifestyle is a result of his enjoyment of reading and travelling. Sanju often acknowledges the warning of his wife, coaches, and family about his growth as a professional. He has earned the respect of his peers as well as fans through his abilities in being a gentleman in the field with a cool head.
Career Statistics of Sanju Samson:
Test Debut:
Sanju Samson is one of the most talented batters and wicketkeepers of India who has not made his Test debut yet. He has focused primarily on white-ball cricket, during which he has been characterized by his aggressive stroke play and fearless attitude. His opportunities have been constrained, however, because of competition to challenge a position in the Indian Test team. Still, cricket analysts believe that his approach and style could be successful in the longer game as well. On his versatility and the capability to anchor innings, it could be of great assistance to the team’s middle order during red-ball matches, and that is why fans have yet to see him play his Test cricket debut.
ODI Debut:
On July 23, 2021, in Colombo, Sanju Samson made his debut for India in a One Day International match against Sri Lanka. Despite not scoring much in his debut, Samson, who batted in the middle order, showed poise and shot-making skill. Since then, his ODI career has seen him develop into a reliable batsman who is especially renowned for accelerating towards the finish of innings and stabilising them under pressure. He has increased his strike rate and finishing ability with regular opportunities. An important turning point in Samson’s international career was his ODI debut, which demonstrated his ability to withstand the demands of playing for India in 50 overs.
T20 Debut:
On July 19, 2015, Sanju Samson played his first Twenty20 International match for India in Harare against Zimbabwe. One of the youngest Indian cricket players to make their debut in the shortest format, he was only 20 years old at the time. Even though he didn’t score much on his first try, it provided him with priceless exposure to international cricket. Samson’s clean striking and inventive strokes have become his hallmarks as he has developed into a confident ball striker over the years. The route he took to establish himself as a potent middle-order option for India began with his T20 debut.
IPL Debut:
Although he didn’t get many opportunities there, Sanju Samson made his Indian Premier League (IPL) debut in 2012 with the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). When he joined the Rajasthan Royals in 2013, he made his big break by displaying mature hitting abilities at a young age. Samson immediately gained recognition for his daring style, deft stroke technique, and reliable scoring ability. He has developed into a key member of the Rajasthan Royals throughout the years, eventually rising to the position of captain. In addition to making him a household name, his IPL debut served as the springboard for his international calls.
Achievements of Sanju Samson:
- 2013 saw the youngest player reach 50 in the IPL.
- Received the 2013 IPL Emerging Player of the Year Award.
- Scored several IPL hundreds, including a standout one for RR in 2019.
- In 2021, the Rajasthan Royals became the first team to have a Kerala cricket player as captain.
- Consistent performer for Kerala in the Vijay Hazare Trophy and Ranji.
- Known as one of the IPL’s most fashionable and dependable wicketkeeper-batsmen.
- Holds the record for one of India’s fastest T20 cricket fifties.
- Many cricket analysts have lauded him for his superb stroke play.
Here are Some of the Lesser-Known Facts about Sanju Samson:
- Before returning to Kerala, Sanju received his first training at the DLF Academy in Delhi.
- His father, a former police officer, gave up his job to help Sanju pursue his cricketing dreams.
- Sanju was the youngest captain to lead Kerala in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
- In 2012, he was a member of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) team, although he did not participate in any games.
- He attributes his sense of grounded feature to his strong spirituality.
- Sanju frequently posts quotations on social media and enjoys reading inspirational literature.
- He has a reputation for coaching young cricket players in Kerala and fostering their development as players.
- His graceful cover drive is frequently likened to that of great batters such as Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
- Sanju loves dogs and frequently shares pictures of them on Instagram.
- He has a modest life and enjoys spending time with his family despite his notoriety.
From the cricket fields of Kerala to playing for India internationally, Sanju Samson’s career is one of talent, tenacity, and determination. Even in the face of obstacles like injuries, rivalry, and erratic opportunities, Sanju has consistently recovered stronger. He has gained respect from the cricket community as captain of the Rajasthan Royals by demonstrating maturity and leadership. Sanju is still a great addition to Indian cricket because of his elegant batting, reliable wicketkeeping, and composed personality. Aspiring cricket players from throughout the country find inspiration in his journey.
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