Kerala-born wicket-keeper batsman Sanju Samson has been approached by Ireland Cricket Association to represent their nation at the international level.
The Irish Cricket board guarantees Samson that he will start for the team in each and every game– something far from possible if he persists with his on-and-off (mostly off) involvement in India’s international cricket. He has also been offered the team’s leadership position.
For the uninitiated, Samson has been an unfortunate martyr to Team India’s problem of plenty and has failed to be a regular feature for the Men in Blue.
He had a brilliant IPL 2022 (458 runs, 147 SR) but still couldn’t find a place in the 2022 Asia Cup and T20 WC squad. The story was not much different in ODIs as the right-hander averaged an impressive 71 in the limited chances on offer but was dropped for the Bangladesh tour sans explanation.
Sanju Samson declines the lucrative offer from Ireland Cricket
To be a regular starter, and also the captain for an international cricketing nation is all a professional can ask for and the proposal from the Irishmen gave Sanju those exact things.
Nonetheless, the lucrative offer from Ireland Cricket has been declined by Sanju Samson with utmost politeness; the batter appreciating the board for considering him.
It is reported Sanju can not imagine himself turning up for any other nation but India, and thus, he wasn’t keen on switching allegiances.
Interestingly, if the Rajasthan Royals skipper were to accept the offer, he’d have had to retire from the Indian domestic and international cricket circuit and could have only been a part of the IPL as a foreign player.
Samson at present is set to make a comeback to domestic red-ball cricket after a 3-year-gap and will be hoping to continue his rich vien of form in limited overs cricket into the longest format.