The Sanju Samson journey: Kerala's own cult hero

Sanju Samson back then a 14yearold skinny boy in a hotel bed watched the firstever IPL match The first match of the Indian Premier League was played on April 18 2008 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Kolkata Knight Riders in which Brendon McCullum scored a fiery 158 runs in 73 ballsFrom then onwards Samson shifted his career from wanting to become a civil servant to becoming a cricketer Sanju always recollects that day which gave him the dream of reaching that league of top players one day said former Kerala player Raiphi Vincent Gomez also a close friend of the wicketkeeper batterHaving a dream is not sufficient to excel in a career especially in the field of sports But Samson had that determination to turn his dreams into reality Biju George the former India womens cricket teams fielding coach and the early mentor of the Kerala player saw that brightly flickering flame inside SanjuRain or sunshine Sanju and his brother Saly will be at nets at the Medical College ground in Thiruvananthapuram It was raining heavily one day here and I thought Sanju would not come for nets from his home at Vizhinjam nearly 25 kilometres from the centre But he was there on time He carried his cricket kit in which he also stuffed his school uniform so that he could go to school after training Even at that age he had next level resolve said GeorgeAlso ReadIN PHOTOS IPL 2024 Gujrat Titans show support for cancer awarenessThe discipline in Sanju Samson came from his family His father Viswanath was a football player with Delhi Police for two decades and supported his sons dream of playing cricketHe would arrange nets for Sanju and his brother with the Delhi Police team and they often played against cricketers much older than themHis father is a great source of inspiration for him even when I first met him during his junior cricket days He would come to watch Sanjus matches without fail said GomezBut that upbringing in a police colony at GTB Nagar in North Delhi also gave Sanju a grounded mind Make no mistake Sanju is every inch a modernday sportsperson he is active on social media spaces has a close rapport with Malayalam film stars and politicians and lends his face to market a number of productsHowever the effect of fame has not seeped inside his skin a trait George said has made him endearing to all layers of Keralas discerning societyMalayalees have this inherent nature they dont like people who show off whether it is their knowledge or wealth or fame Sanju till this day has remained humble and that connects him instantly with the people of the state he saidA glance at Sanjus X account will validate that remark A globetrotting sportsperson Sanjus location reads Keralam and a silhouetted Vizhinjam port is the profile pictureSee Kerala has produced some topclass athletes PT Usha Sreesanth etc Listen I am not pointing fingers at them but at times Malayalees do not like the way in which they carry themselves in public the tone of their talk etcBut Sanju is different He still has the same set of friends Nicholas who is now his manager or Rahul Raghav from his early days He still visits the local shops in his shorts and chappalsHe does not have the air of a star He is that person who everyone loves to have at their house as a son or a brother You know he retained that Nammude Sanju our Sanju image he elaboratedAlso ReadIN PHOTOS IPL 2024 PBKS vs RCB A crucial clash for the playoffs boostPerhaps only footballer IM Vijayan has had that effect on fans in the state Vijayan was a superstar in his playing days but remained rooted to his home town Thrissur Sanju is so rooted to Thiruvananthapuram and Kerala despite climbing the ranks The state loves its heroes to remain local and Sanju is a perfect fit said Rajesh R Nair a marketingadvertising professionalSanju might have gained attention for being a cult hero of Kerala but for his teammates he is still a 29yearold brotherly figureSanju chettan elder brother is always approachable Many times he will be away with national duty or some IPL commitments but he is a phone call awayIf he is not playing a match he will call one of us later to know the details He never misses the teams schedule said Rohan Kunnummel the Kerala openerGeorge underscored the passion Sanju has for state cricket We spoke a few minutes after his selection to the T20 World Cup But he was more interested in talking about the need for Kerala to win at least one trophy in the upcoming domestic seasonHe was saying that more children will take up cricket in the state if the team gets some success at the national level he said But several youngsters might already have decided to follow Sanju just like he did in that hotel room 16 years agoWith PTI Inputs