Sanju Samson credits father and coach Biju George for his success

Sanju Samson reflected on his childhood struggles, his parents' sacrifices, coach Biju George's guidance and his early Kolkata Knight Riders trials. The India wicketkeeper-batter said his family's unwavering support and disciplined routine laid the foundation for his successful cricket career

Hyderabad: Sanju Samson, the Player of the Tournament in India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign this March, recalled how his father’s efforts led him to coach Biju George and his early selection trials for Kolkata Knight Riders in a chat on JioStar’s show Superstars.

“When we left everything behind and moved back to Kerala, we initially couldn’t get admission into any school in Trivandrum. We had moved there during the middle of the academic year, so we weren’t getting admission anywhere. We tried so many schools, thinking we would go here or there, do this or that, but nobody was ready to admit us,” Samson said.

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“In the end, there was a school called St Joseph’s in Trivandrum. One of my father’s friends held a senior position there. He asked my father what the matter was, and my dad explained that we weren’t getting school admissions. He simply said, ‘No problem, get uniforms for the kids the next day and send them straight to school.’ That’s how it all began in Trivandrum,” he said.

On how his father’s efforts led him to coach Biju George, the flamboyant opener said: “While we were still in Delhi, my father used to make endless phone calls to friends in Kerala to find out about the cricket scene there. He didn’t know Biju sir at first, but he had a close friend named Ali bhai. He would constantly ask them where he should send me and my brother for cricket training after we moved to Kerala. Ali bhai strongly recommended Biju George sir, saying he was the best coach in Kerala and that he would guide us well.

“My father agreed. On that very first day, we had a short trial where we faced about 10 balls each, so he could see our natural ability. Within just 10 minutes of watching us bat, Biju sir made up his mind. He immediately sent my brother to play for the Wayanad district team, saying it would be a great opportunity for him. As for me, since I was younger, he said I had to wait because my Under-13 matches were coming up,” he said.

On his early selection trials for KKR, Samson said: “After I went on to perform well for Kerala in the Under-13 tournament, Biju sir took me to the Kolkata Knight Riders selection trials when I was just 14 years old. That felt unbelievably surreal for a 14-year-old. Sourav Ganguly sir was the captain of KKR at the time, and John Buchanan was the head coach. I gave my trials in front of them, and based on that performance, they selected me to be part of the KKR ‘B’ team.”

“We even got to travel to Sri Lanka for matches with the ‘B’ team. Biju sir continuously opened doors and created opportunities for us, so the credit for shaping the early stages of my career will always, unconditionally, go to him,” he said.

On how his parents’ sacrifices motivated him and his brother, Samson said: “We loved our routine: morning practice, going to school, rushing back and training again. At that age, it made us feel like we were doing something meaningful. Our peers at school and the academy respected us for it. They saw how hard we worked, and that respect pushed us even more. Even as a kid, there was always a quiet pressure in the back of my mind.

“When you see your father shift his entire world for you, and your mother sacrifice her sleep every day, you realise you can’t take a single day off. That is why getting out for 30 or 40 and then going home and telling my dad that I got out for 30 felt a bit heavy. But looking back, that environment brought the best out of me,” he said.

“While my friends played for fun, I walked onto the field with one goal: to make my parents proud and make their sacrifices count. That is what kept me focused at such a young age,” Samson said.