Not Sachin, MS Dhoni Or Virat Kohli, Sanju Samson Picks This Star As All Time Cricketing Idol
This revelation came during his appearance on a YouTube show Kutti Stories hosted by veteran off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin on His YouTube Channel.
Ashwin: "Your all-time cricketing idol and one modern-day player that you get excited to watch as a fan?"
Sanju Samson: "Idol... Hmm, that's a big question. Rohit Sharma.
The admiration comes at a significant time in Indian cricket. Rohit Sharma, after guiding India to victory in the T20 World Cup 2024 and retiring from T20Is, also decided to bid farewell to Test cricket earlier this year. His exit from the longest format followed a disappointing performance during the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2025, where Pat Cummins' Australia defeated India 3–1, securing a spot in the World Test Championship final.
Samson's Career Updates & IPL Speculations
Samson, who last appeared for India in February against England, is currently in the spotlight due to growing speculation over his future in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Reports suggest he could be seeking a switch from Rajasthan Royals to Chennai Super Kings (CSK) ahead of the IPL 2026 auction. The wicketkeeper-batter endured a mixed 2025 season, missing five matches due to injury. During his absence, Riyan Parag took over as stand-in captain. Unfortunately for RR, the season ended on a low, with the team finishing second-last on the points table managing only four wins.
Despite this, Samson's international T20I career has received a fresh lease of life. After Rohit's T20I retirement, he stepped into the opening role alongside Abhishek Sharma, forming a deadly partnership at the top. This attacking duo has been instrumental in India's recent T20I success. Samson has so far scored 861 runs at an average of 25.3 and a strike rate of 152.4, making him a strong contender to open in the upcoming Asia Cup 2025.
He recently revealed how Head Coach Gautam Gambhir gave him confidence after he was out on duck twice during South Africa series.
'I was feeling low in the dressing room and Gauti bhai noticed,' Samson recalled. 'He asked me, 'Kya hua? (What happened?)' I told him I had two chances but couldn't score. He just said, 'Toh kya hua? (So what?)' and then added, 'Only if you get 21 ducks will I drop you from the team.'"
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