Sandeep Sharma credits Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson for helping him through tough times and inspiring him to continue his Indian Premier League journey.
Talking to Taruwar Kohli on his podcast, Sandeep revealed that he got a call from the Royals skipper after going unsold in the IPL 2023 Player Auction.
“I got a call from Sanju (Samson), and he spoke very positively. He said that seeing me go unsold made him feel bad too. He believed in me and assured me that I would get a chance that season (IPL 2023)”, Sandeep told Taruwar Kohli during the interaction.
Sandeep was going through a rough patch at the time and could manage only five wickets from the previous two seasons (IPL 2021 and 2022) with different teams.
“He was the only one who called me and kept me positive during that time, which really helped. He mentioned there are injury issues in all teams, including the Royals, and told me I would get to play and do well,” Sandeep recollected.
“He spoke about the present and called me to the Royals camp. I got in when Prasidh Krishna, unfortunately, got injured. Since then, I’ve played every game as if it’s my last and enjoyed it,” he added.
Sandeep Sharma turned out to be a revelation for the Royals in IPL 2023 and 2024, picking up 23 wickets in 22 innings. The 31-year-old pacer who has scalped 62 wickets in the powerplay overs - the third-highest by any bowler in the IPL - used to be primarily a new-ball bowler.
But at the Royals, Sandeep evolved and impressed many with his death-bowling prowess, especially during IPL 2024. He had a tally of 13 wickets from 10 innings at an impressive average of 23.92 and an economy of 8.18 despite bowling those difficult overs at the death.
Sanju Samson, who played a key role in changing Sandeep Sharma’s fortunes has been the captain of the Royals from IPL 2021 onwards. During the 2024 season, he also surpassed legendary Shane Warne for most matches as captain of Rajasthan Royals.
In four seasons under Samson, the Royals have reached the Playoffs in two seasons, including the final in IPL 2022.
