DC vs RR: Sanju Samson accuses S Sreesanth of lying to Rajasthan Royals for his contract

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson shared an intriguing story of his journey in the Indian Premier League (IPL). Sanju Samson revealed that former pacer S Sreesanth lied to Rahul Dravid about him, which helped him secure a chance with the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the prestigious T20 tournament.

Sanju Samson was named in the Kolkata Knight Riders' player pool ahead of the 2009 edition of the tournament. However, the Kerala cricketer joined the Kolkata team for the 2012 season. He never played a single game for KKR, despite his talent. The wicketkeeper-batter was released before the 2013 season.

I Wasn't Getting A Look-In - Sanju Samson

Sanju Samson was eager to showcase his skills after being released by the Knight Riders. Samson revealed that Sreesanth told then-RR captain Rahul Dravid that he smashed six sixes in an over in a local tournament.

"Being with KKR, I wasn't getting a look-in. But during a match against RR, when [Rahul] Dravid was leading them, Sreesanth spotted him in the hotel lobby and vouched for me. He told him, 'There's this kid from Kerala who smashed six sixes in an over in a local tournament. We should definitely give him a trial,'" Samson reminisced in a video shared widely on X (formerly Twitter).

Samson made his IPL debut for the Rajasthan Royals in 2013. The batter scored 206 runs in 11 matches at an average of 25.75 and a strike rate of 115.73 during his maiden season. He has represented the Royals in 134 matches and scored 3596 runs at an average of 31.54 and a strike rate of 141.35.

The Kerala-born cricketer was appointed as the RR captain ahead of the 2021 season. The Jaipur-based franchise reached the finals for the first time under his captaincy since their inaugural victory in 2008. The RR team is currently at the top of the points table in the ongoing IPL 2024 season.

Sanju Samson Didn't Do Too Well In A Few Practice Games - S Sreesanth

In a conversation with SportsKeeda, S Sreesanth admitted to using lies to bring Sanju Samson into the Rajasthan Royals setup. Sreesanth recounted how he exaggerated Samson's abilities, claiming he hit him for six sixes in a local tournament.

"Rahul bhai listened to me when I introduced Sanju to him. I lied to him, I said, 'This kid hit me for six sixes in a local tournament'. Rahul bhai said, 'Shree, kuch bhi bol, ye kyu bol raha hai?' (Say anything, but why are you lying like this)," Sreesanth had said.

"He didn't do too well in a few practice games. But when Rahul bhai saw him bat, he was convinced; he came to me and said, 'Sree, don't let this Sanju guy go to any other selection; we are signing him. Whether or not he'd get matches, I don't know, but we would like to sign him.'"

Sanju Samson has been included in India's squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, scheduled to be played in the West Indies and the USA. The wicketkeeper-batter earned his call-up to the tournament following his consistent performances in the IPL.

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