THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:The mighty Indian cricket team were struggling against the underdogs Zimbabwe at Harare in the final Twenty20 of their African tour. Top order batsmen of the two-time world champions had fallen like flies to an improbable Zimbabwean bowling attack.
And then walked in Kerala’s very own Sanju V Samson. The stage was set and playing the match-winning knock in his maiden appearance for the senior national team would have been the dream narrative for the 20-year-old from Vizhinjam.
Unfortunately, that was not to be as the up and coming wicket-keeper batsman was caught out near the boundary line while going for a big one at a time when the pressure was mounting on him to keep the scoreboard ticking. However, Sanju has not let that dampen his spirits. “I believe that there is a time for everything. The India debut will not be my only achievement and I feel I have a lot to do with the Indian cricket team,” the cricketer said returning from the Zimbabwe tour.
“I am happy that I could react to the situation well. But we must have won the match,” Sanju said. “Though I am a wicket-keeper batsman, the coach asked me to bat and field for the match and I followed the management’s orders,” he added.
“I will work hard on my game and will try to improve as much as I can,” he promised. Not much time to ponder on the African safari, Kerala captain Sanju, after a day’s rest at home, will join up with his teammates in the state team participating in the K Thimmappaiah memorial tournament organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association in Bengaluru as a prelude to this season’s Ranji Trophy campaign.
Irrespective of how his big debut turned out, the cricketing community in the city is excited. “It is a matter of great pride to have a boy from the district in the national team. Though players like Raiphi Vincent Gomez have made it to the junior levels, this is the first time that someone has made it big at the senior level,” said Vinod S Kumar, secretary of the Thiruvananthapuram District Cricket Association.
Just before joining up with the Indian team, Sanju played an inter-zonal under-23 cricket match at Medical College here. “Junior players and his teammates were all excited to have him around and to watch him in close quarters,” said Vinod. “This is definitely a huge boost for cricket in the district and state and for youngsters, it is proof that if they are willing to work hard, they can reach the highest levels,” he added.