Not Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni! Sanju Samson Calls India Captain As His Cricketing Idol
Sanju Samson, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter, admires Rohit Sharma as his idol.
India's ODI captain, Rohit Sharma, may no longer feature regularly across all three formats, but the legacy he has built remains a source of admiration and inspiration. He has called time on his Test and T20I careers, focusing solely now on the ODI World Cup 2027. However, he is still missed by many, not just those outside the Indian dressing room, but also within it.
Sanju Samson, the Indian wicketkeeper-batter, admires Rohit as his idol. The Kerala cricketer recently appeared in a podcast with former Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, where he said he idolised Rohit.
On the show, Ashwin asked, '(Who is) Your all-time cricketing idol, and one modern player that you get excited to watch, as a fan?"
Sanju replied, 'That's a big question. Uh… Rohit Sharma."
Speaking about the modern-day player he gets excited to watch, Samson named 'Chinna Paiyan' Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
The 14-year-old opening batter made his IPL debut earlier this year, replacing an injured Samson in the Rajasthan Royals line-up. He quickly rose to fame with his extraordinary strokeplay and a sizzling century against the Gujarat Titans, becoming the youngest ever to do so in the league's history. He played 7 games in IPL 2025 and scored 252 runs, averaging 36.
'Yeah, I saw him hit one for a six. I was thinking that the little guy got lucky, but it kept on going. The quality of the shots also really shocked me," Samson admitted to Ravichandran Ashwin on the latter's YouTube show, Kutti Stories With Ash.
And Samson and Ashwin weren't the only players in awe either.
'I saw Jos Buttler talking to Jofra Archer about it. About how it was to get smashed around by a 14-year-old in the nets," Ashwin said.
view comments
First Published:
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NDTV
37 minutes ago
- NDTV
"Before A Match, I Would Automatically...": Pragyan Ojha Shares Cricketing Superstition
Former Indian spinner Pragyan Ojha shared his long-standing superstition. He mentioned that he always called his family before a match, but a missed call due to poor network in Sri Lanka led to him becoming Muttiah Muralitharan's 800th wicket. Ojha last played an international game in 2013, which was also the retirement match for Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar at the Wankhede Stadium. In the game, he managed to take ten wickets and was awarded the Player of the Match. Speaking on 'Cheeky Singles', Pragyan Ojha said, "Whenever I used to get in the team bus before a match, I would automatically call my mom, then my dad. Even if both of them were sitting together, I'd call them separately. Then I'd call my uncle, who was a cricketer and the one who inspired me to take up the game. Even if I had called my uncle 10 minutes before the match, he would have picked up. But in Sri Lanka, at that time, there was no network, and the call didn't go through. Because of that, I became Muttiah Muralitharan's 800th wicket." The 33-year-old Ojha had made his international debut in 2008 against Bangladesh in Karachi. A year later, he went on to make his Test debut against Sri Lanka . The spinner went on to play 24 Tests, 18 ODIs and six T20Is for India and finished with a total of 144 wickets in the international game. In the longest format of the game, he managed to take 113 wickets, with the best bowling figures of 6-47. He was last seen in action in 2018 as he played a first-class match in Dehradun. He also made a name for himself in the Indian Premier League as he played for the Deccan Chargers and Mumbai Indians. He was a key member of the Deccan Chargers IPL-winning team in 2009. He last played a match in the premier tournament in 2015 for the Mumbai Indians.
Time of India
37 minutes ago
- Time of India
Independence Day is a reminder to represent India with pride & professionalism: Pankaj Advani
For Indian billiards champion Pankaj Advani , wearing the national colours has never been just about winning medals; it's always been about responsibility and the privilege of inspiring others through his sport. On the occasion of the 79th Independence Day, the world champion — who will be part of the flag-hoisting ceremony at the historic Red Fort in Delhi today — reflects on what it means, as a sportsperson, to celebrate the nation's freedom and represent India on the global stage. Excerpts: 'REPRESENTING INDIA, TO ME, HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT MUCH MORE THAN WINNING' 'It's been 25 years now since I first wore the national flag on my chest, and it's a privilege and honour every single time,' says Pankaj. The sportsperson explains, 'When you go abroad, you're an ambassador for your country, you're carrying that responsibility in how you play, how you conduct yourself, how professional you are. You want people to say, 'India is not just good at the sport, but is professional and respectful. Every time I represent India, I'm aware it's bigger than me. It's about showing the world what we stand for: professionalism, respect, and the spirit to compete at the highest level, and that's the true essence of the sport; and Independence Day is a reminder of that.' You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru | Gold Rates Today in Bengaluru | Silver Rates Today in Bengaluru Every time I represent India, I'm aware it's bigger than me. It's about showing the world what we stand for: professionalism, respect, and the spirit to compete at the highest level, and that's the true essence of the sport Pankaj Advani 'INDIA MAY HAVE BEEN A ONE-SPORT NATION, BUT THAT IS CHANGING' He acknowledges that India remains a one-sport nation in terms of mass following, but participation is evolving. 'People are taking up pickleball, paddle, Formula One, and even cue sports for fun, but the challenge is to connect them with the competitive side to make them watch and follow the best players in action,' he says. Today, India boasts champions across disciplines — Neeraj Chopra in javelin, PV Sindhu and Saina Nehwal in badminton — and Pankaj believes these athletes inspire the next generation. 'Having a figure in each sport who consistently excels on the world stage is important. But inspiration alone isn't enough; understanding the process, the training, tournaments, funding, and equipment is what truly creates more champions,' he says. Sports bring people together; it doesn't care about caste, wealth, or background. It's about testing yourself, not just against the best, but against your own limits — to win with humility and lose with grace Pankaj Advani Stay updated with the latest local news from your city on Times of India (TOI). Check upcoming bank holidays , public holidays , and current gold rates and silver prices in your area. Get the latest lifestyle updates on Times of India, along with Happy Independence Day wishes , messages , and quotes !
NDTV
an hour ago
- NDTV
AIFF Counsel To Mention ISL Impasse To Supreme Court On August 18
The All India Football Federation (AIFF) will mention the raging issue concerning the Indian Super League before the Supreme Court on Monday. The apex court has reserved its judgement on draft AIFF constitution and a hearing is scheduled for Monday. Hundreds of Indian and foreign footballers are living in uncertainty as the Masters Rights Agreement (MRA) between Football Sports Development Limited (FSDL) and AIFF with regards to Indian Super League is yet to be signed. The clubs have decided not to pay salaries to the players and support staff till the impasse continues. "A discussion was held between the legal representatives of the All India Football Federation (AIFF) and the Indian Super League (ISL) clubs, on Thursday, August 14, 2025," AIFF issued a statement on 'X'. "It has been agreed by all parties that the concerns of the ISL clubs pertaining to the delay in the commencement of the 2025-26 ISL season, and the hardship being felt by the players and other stakeholders will be conveyed to the Hon'ble Supreme Court next week, for its kind consideration," it further stated. In fact, an AIFF source said that they are willing to file a written application if the court asks for one. "Yes we will be attempting to mention but since judgement is reserved we have to see how the judges takes it. If they feel there is merit in appeal, they may ask for an application to be filed. The plight of the players, clubs and football need to be brought to their notice, " a club source told PTI. The AIFF on Wednesday had asked the legal counsels of the game's apex body and the ISL clubs to "hold discussions" on the teams' concerns about the uncertainty over the upcoming season of the top-tier league. Last week, 11 Indian Super League clubs had urged the AIFF to urgently bring the "current situation" of Indian football, arising out of the uncertainty over ISL's future, to the attention of the Supreme Court before which a case relating to the constitution of the national federation is pending. The ISL clubs, in a letter, said that they will have no option but to seek judicial recourse independently if the AIFF does not act on their request. "On August 13, the AIFF responded and requested that the legal counsels of the clubs and the federation meet to hold discussions on the matter and decide on further action," the AIFF tweeted. The clubs requested the AIFF to approach the top court a day after the national federation proposed the Super Cup in September to ensure sufficient competitive matches for the clubs after ISL organisers FSDL put a "pause" on the league due to uncertainty over the renewal of Master Rights Agreement (MRA) it signed with them in 2010. The crisis deepened after ISL organisers FSDL put the 2025-26 season "on hold" on July 11 due to uncertainty over the renewal of the MRA, prompting at least three clubs to either pause first-team operations or suspend player and staff salaries.
