Sanju Viswanath Samson was born on 11 November 1994 in Pulluvila, a coastal village in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. His father, Samson Viswanath, served as a police constable in Delhi and was a former footballer in the Santosh Trophy. His mother, Ligy, is a homemaker. Samson spent part of his childhood in Delhi’s GTB Nagar, attending Rosary Senior Secondary School and training under coach Yashpal at DAV Model School. After being overlooked for Delhi’s U-13 side, his father retired early to support Sanju’s cricketing ambitions, relocating the family to Kerala. There, he honed his skills under coach Biju George in Thiruvananthapuram before clinching a spot in Kerala’s U-13 side in 2007.
Growing up, Samson exhibited both maturity and raw talent. His batting instincts and keeping potential shone early on, setting the stage for a stellar youth career.
Sanju Samson is known for his aggressive batting flair, elegant stroke-making, and lightning-fast reflexes behind the stumps . At 5′7″, he wielded power-packed forearms, timing the ball beautifully between cover and fine-leg. When not playing, he prioritizes fitness—seen recently training in California ahead of IPL 2025. Samson combines technique with athleticism, backed by disciplined training, modern nutrition, and recovery protocols.
Despite his natural flair, he keeps a grounded, workmanlike approach, often balancing cricket with mentoring through his academy and brand ambassadorships.
Sanju Samson married his long-time college sweetheart, Charulatha Ramesh, from Mar Ivanios College. They tied the knot in a private ceremony at Kovalam on 22 December 2018, attended by family and mentor Rahul Dravid.
His father’s sacrifice and his mother’s support remain central to his success. Samson often credits his family’s dedication and his wife’s emotional stability as key pillars behind his resurgence during slumps.
Samson dominated Kerala’s junior ranks early on. In U-13 cricket (2007), he scored 973 runs across five games, including four centuries. By U-16, he notched a double-ton off 138 balls in Vijay Merchant Trophy. He captained the India U-19 side in the 2013 Asia Cup and vice-captained the team during the 2014 World Cup, emerging as India’s highest run-scorer.
He debuted first-class at 17 during the 2011–12 Ranji Trophy for Kerala, later scoring double-centuries, including a career-best 211. In List A, he smashed an unbeaten 212 off 129 balls in the 2019–20 Vijay Hazare Trophy—the second-fastest double hundred by an Indian. As Kerala’s captain across formats, he led them to historic milestones, including their first Ranji quarter-final in 2017–18.
Sanju made his T20I debut against Zimbabwe on 19 July 2015, facing early hiccups but gaining experience. His ODI debut came much later, on 23 July 2021 vs Sri Lanka; he scored his maiden ODI century (108) on 21 December 2023 vs South Africa .
His international journey has been a rollercoaster—intermittent form and selection issues punctuated by bursts of brilliance. In 2024–25, he became the only player to hit three T20I centuries in a calendar year, making him first wicket-keeper for India to achieve the feat.
Sanju Samson debuted in IPL in 2013 for Rajasthan Royals, gifting the Emerging Player award with 206 runs and solid keeping. In 2016–17, he moved to Delhi Capitals before returning to RR in 2018.
In 2017, he scored a blistering century vs RPS; in 2019, he notched another ton (102*). Appointed RR captain in 2021, he scored a century on captaincy debut and surpassed 3,000 IPL runs . Under his leadership, RR reached the 2022 final. IPL 2024 was his best: 531 runs in 16 matches, anchoring RR to top-four.
As of mid-2025:
177 IPL matches, 4,704 runs at avg ~30.95, with 3 centuries and 26 fifties.
He also holds records: youngest keeper to 1,000 and 2,000 IPL runs, and most consecutive 50+ starts to IPL seasons.
