Former captain and current head coach of the Indian Cricket team, Rahul Dravid is constantly nitpicked nowadays for not giving enough opportunities to wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson at the highest level. Having said that, it was the same Dravid who had asked Samson to join Rajasthan Royals, almost a decade ago, way back in 2013.
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With the duo of Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma preferred over him, Samson is currently a reserve with the national team for Asia Cup 2023. While Yadav’s ODI average is just 24.33 despite regular chances, Varma is yet to play an ODI. Samson, meanwhile, averages 55.71 and strikes at 104 in the format.
With first-choice wicket-keeper batter KL Rahul ruled out of the first two Asia Cup matches, Samson would’ve been his ideal replacement at No. 5. However, the same wouldn’t be possible because of the selection committee’s decision earlier this month. Moreover, Ishan Kishan, who has excelled as an opener, will be forced to bat in the middle-order in the first round of the intercontinental tournament.
Rahul Dravid Had Offered Sanju Samson Rajasthan Royals Contract A Decade Ago
Dravid, who had represented Royal Challengers Bangalore in the first half of his Indian Premier League career, was leading Royals in what was his last season in the cash-rich league. While Dravid couldn’t lead RR to a title win, he managed to unearth a talent named Samson after the latter was selected in a trial camp organized by the franchise.
Interestingly, the same player went on to become Rajasthan’s sixth captain in 2021. Samson, who first represented the franchise between 2013-2015, was bought for a second stint during IPL 2018 mega auction.
In a conversation with Star Sports earlier this year, Samson narrated the whole incident leading up to his IPL debut over a decade ago. It is to be noted that former India pacer S Sreesanth had taken him to the trails. Samson, all of 18 then, believed that he played some of his best cricket at the time. As a result, Dravid and then-head coach Paddy Upton were highly and instantly impressed with him.
“It was a two-day trial which was very special as I have never batted like that ever again. Then Rahul [Dravid] sir came and told me, ‘You are definitely doing great. Would you like to play for RR?’ That gave me a huge confidence given that it came from Rahul sir.”
Samson’s rise in the sport can be judged by a rise in his salary as well. First bought by Royals for his base price of INR 10 lakh, the right-handed batter currently earns a hefty INR 14 crore annually from the IPL.
When Sanju Samson Let Down Rahul Dravid?
In 2021, India had toured Sri Lanka for a three-match ODI and T20I series each. With a majority of senior players rested, it gave the likes of Samson and others ample opportunities to showcase their talent. That said, Samson had failed to play according to his potential in the shortest format in spite of Dravid being the head coach.
In the ODIs, Samson got a solitary match where he scored 46 (46) with the help of five fours and a six. Having played all three T20Is, his 34 runs at a strike rate of 94.44 even included a duck.
Even though the wickets weren’t the easiest to bat on, Samson was still expected to leave a mark. Speaking in a virtual press conference back in the day, Dravid had told ANI that Samson would himself be “disappointed” because of his performances. Since that tour, Samson has played only 14 T20Is and 12 ODIs for the national team.
