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Last updated: January 23, 2025

Sanju Samson’s Father Reveals How Rahul Dravid Saved His Son’s Career From Getting Destroyed

As the selection controversy between Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) and Sanju Samson rages on, the keeper-batter’s father Samson Viswanath added more fuel by saying that the state board has tried to sabotage his son’s career ever since he was young.

Samson was left out of Kerala’s Vijay Hazare Trophy squad earlier this month over his communication about being unable to attend the preparatory camp. He was picked for the England T20I series around the same time, but the recent BCCI mandate for players to feature in domestic cricket brought more focus to the issue.

Viswanath alleged that former India’s batting great Rahul Dravid had to intervene at one point during Samson’s younger days after the KCA was taking action against his son,

“I will tell you one incident about Rahul Dravid. When KCA had tried to disregard Sanju and destroy his career, Dravid ji had interfered in the matter. Wherever Sanju is at today, he owes it to Rahul Dravid. I have not forgotten anyone who has given us warmth and generosity. When action was being taken against Samson, they had given up his kit and everything else. Then, one day, we were all sad and sitting at home when Sanju got a call from Rahul sir. Sanju was overjoyed. He picked up the phone crying. The mood in the house was sombre,” Samson Viswanath told Sports Today as quoted by Hindustan Times.

Samson made his Indian Premier League debut for Rajasthan Royals in 2013 under the captaincy of Dravid who later went on to become mentor of the team and later Indian team coach which concluded with the 2024 T20 World Cup win. Samson was also part of the squad but didn’t get a game in the tournament.

“After keeping down the phone, he told me ‘it was Rahul sir’. He said ‘Sanju, I understand all that is happening with you. They are all jealous of you. Tu chinta mat kar (Don’t worry). Don’t get your morale down. I have taken care of it. You keep training and get ready for NCA’. He operated at a level higher than the KCA and took Sanju under his wings,” he further narrated.

Contrary statements against Dravid

It is an interesting detail revealed by Samson Viswanath, who had earlier alleged that Dravid along with some other players had ruined his son’s.

“There are 3-4 people who wasted 10 years of my son’s vital career… captains like Dhoni ji, Virat [Kohli] ji, Rohit [Sharma] ji, and coach [Rahul] Dravid ji,” he said, adding that they had “destroyed 10 years of my son’s life,” he had said in an interview with Malayalam outlet Media One in November 2024.

Samson opened the innings in the first T20I against England at Eden Gardens on Wednesday and scored 26 off 20 balls.

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