How Sanju Samson's Malayali Pride Took Over After Being Named In India Squad For T20 World Cup 2024?

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Sanju Samson made his international debut in 2015 and waited for nine years to find a spot in India's World Cup squad. On Tuesday (April 30), the 29-year-old wicketkeeper-batter from Kerala found a place in a 15-member India squad for T20 World Cup 2024.

The Rajasthan Royals captain had a different fire in his eyes since the start of his IPL 2024 campaign. He scored unbeaten 82 runs against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in his first match of the season. His last innings before the much-awaited Indian team announcement also came against LSG as he scored match-winning 71 not out runs off just 33 balls.

Sanju Samson celebrated in an unlikely fashion after whipping the ball towards fine leg for a match-sealing six. He stretched his arms and let out a roar, which almost everyone agreed was a message to the selectors. The win extended his team lead at the top by six points.

A couple of days later, the Ajit Agarkar-led BCCI selection panel picked Sanju Samson ahead of KL Rahul, the captain of LSG in IPL 2024, and Ishan Kishan. Samson is India's second-choice wicketkeeper-batter for the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024 which starts from June 2.

Sanju Samson's Malayali Pride Takes Over After Being Named In India Squad For T20 World Cup 2024

At a time when Punjabi Raps have taken over the country, Sanju Samson stuck to his Malayali roots and chose a caption in Malayalam, and a rap in his own regional language to celebrate the occasion.

He did not just put a caption with a message in Malayalam, but actually used the Malayalam script to write it. "Sweat stitched shirt," read the translation. An India flag followed, and a blue heart emoji followed.

The lines are inspired from 'Kuthanthram' - a dynamic Malayalam rap from Vedan from the movie 'Manjummel Boys'. The Malayalam rap talks about individuality and endurance, capturing the essence of life’s untamed experiences.

Did Sanju Samson indirectly thank his Malayalam fans?

Malayalam fans from across the globe have stood rock solid behind Sanju Samson, who has been in and out of the Indian cricket team for years now. The right-hander surely hasn't got regular opportunities like others. On other occasions, Samson has failed to encash the opportunity.

Regardless, Sanju Samson has enjoyed a huge fan following. Despite not being a Team India regular, Sanju Samson enjoys a superstar status among cricketers. His Malayalam fans deserve a lot of credit for it.

"Malayali from India," a fan commented on the post which received over 15 lakh likes in 16 hours.