NEW DELHI: India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has revealed that Sachin Tendulkar’s legendary “Desert Storm” innings in Sharjah in 1998 was the second that satisfied him he might someday play for India.The knock — 143 off 131 balls towards Australia — is remembered as certainly one of Tendulkar’s most iconic efforts. Though India misplaced that match, Sachin’s brilliance ensured qualification for the finals. For a younger Samson, it was a turning level.Go Past The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“I used to be watching a recreation sitting in Delhi police quarters or police colony room on a small TV. Sachin sir was batting in that recreation, the Sharjah storm innings, he was simply smashing the bowlers. So, that second it really struck me that ‘Sanju, you too can do this’. That truly impressed me essentially the most,” Samson mentioned in a dialog with R Ashwin.
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The Rajasthan Royals skipper, who joined the franchise in 2013, recalled how his early profession was formed by alternatives created by senior gamers. Earlier than RR, Samson had a stint with Kolkata Knight Riders however didn’t break into the enjoying XI. His breakthrough got here after impressing former Kerala teammate S Sreesanth, who later launched him to Rahul Dravid throughout RR trials.“Rahul sir used to only follow, follow, follow, and that’s how I noticed him once I was a 14-year-old child. The second time was when Sreesanth bhai took me to the RR trials on the age of 17. He used to take 5-7 gamers from Kerala yearly for trials. We used to play Ranji collectively, and one recreation he didn’t see me within the group. So, he referred to as up the secretary and requested why is Sanju not within the group. Subsequent day I flew to play towards Andhra, and I scored a 100 in entrance of him,” Samson mentioned.
Samson performed for RR from 2013 to 2015, returned in 2018 after a stint with Delhi Daredevils, and has since change into the face of the franchise — however it began with that one stormy day in Sharjah.