Watch: "Tremendous talent" -Shashi Tharoor praised Sanju Samson ahead of Indian Premier League 2026

Famous political leader Shashi Tharoor on Friday praised Indian cricketer Sanju Samson for his great performances in the recent T20 World Cup. He called him the "greatest product of Vizhinjam," the town in Kerala where Samson was born.

Speaking to ANI, Tharoor said the wicketkeeper-batter is a humble, focused, and very talented young man. He also thanked Samson’s community for helping him in his excellent World Cup performance.

Tharoor added that the former RR skipper does not need to be the next Mahendra Singh Dhoni. He can be "the one and only Sanju Samson." This is what Indian cricket coach Gautam Gambhir once told Tharoor when he remembered his earlier comment that Samson would be the next Dhoni.

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Shashi Tharoor Praises Sanju Samson for Talent and Dedication

Tharoor, who has supported Samson since he was a young club cricketer, said he feels very proud of Samson’s achievements.

"He is a terrific young man. Very humble, very focused, and very good. He is a credit to his community, which is a fishing community in Vizhinjam in my area. Today, we have a big port in Vizhinjam, but the greatest product of Vizhinjam is still Sanju Samson," said Tharoor.

"I met him when he was 14. He was a small boy with a big smile. He was already muscular, though he looked slender. He had tremendous talent and could both keep wickets and bat well."

Tharoor added, "I once jokingly told him he would be the next Dhoni. Years later, my friend Gautam Gambhir said, 'No, he does not have to be the next Dhoni. He will be the one and only Sanju Samson.' And that is exactly what he has become."

"This young man is always focused, calm, and composed. Watching him bat was like poetry in motion. I want to see him back in the ODI team. Remember, his last ODI innings was a century, and yet he was dropped. He deserves another chance," said Tharoor.

Samson has been a great success—quiet, humble, and a good leader. Tharoor noted that Samson has led the Rajasthan Royals very well and will now play for CSK in the IPL.

Tharoor also praised Samson for bringing stability and anchoring the top of the order for India.

"When I watched him in tough times, I knew his core talent was always there. In the match against West Indies, I saw it in his eyes that he was not going to get out. He scored 97 not out and stayed strong," he said.

He added that in the semi-final and final, Samson scored 89 in both matches. "He could have played safe to reach a hundred, but he went for big shots to help the team. That shows he is selfless, talented, and dedicated. He has had bad luck too. He scored a century in an ODI but got dropped after that," said Tharoor.

Tharoor acknowledged that some of Samson’s exclusions were fair due to inconsistency. "But three strong innings in a row in a World Cup show consistency. I hope he continues to play well in ODIs, T20s, and someday in Tests. His talent deserves to shine in all forms of cricket," he said.

Sanju Samson Joins CSK, Excited to Play with Dhoni

Sanju Samson scored 321 runs in five matches at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37. He hit 27 fours and 24 sixes, becoming the third-highest run-scorer in the T20 World Cup. He also broke Virat Kohli’s record of 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup to set the highest runs by an Indian in a single edition.

The former Rajasthan Royals captain is now set to play alongside MS Dhoni for the first time in the IPL. Samson joined the CSK training camp before the IPL 2026 season. He arrived on Thursday, March 19, and was seen sharing a light-hearted chat with the Indian legend, exciting fans.

Samson called it an exciting moment to be with Dhoni, saying the veteran has always been a positive influence in his career.