Sanju Samson spoke on what playing for the Chennai Super Kings means to him, the feeling of wearing the CSK jersey, the interactions he has had with MS Dhoni in the past and so much more in this exclusive chat with CSK TV.
Excerpts…
Question: Sanju Samson, thank you so much for speaking to us here at Chennai Super Kings. The last 15 days has been very eventful for Chennai Super Kings and its fans overall. My first question to you is, what does CSK mean to Sanju Samson?
Sanju Samson: CSK, I think, it’s a bit different question for me, honestly. So, CSK, right from the first day of me playing in IPL, I think CSK has been one of the biggest franchise my team has played against. So, whenever we played against CSK, we could see how big the franchise is, how big the team is, I think how many championships they have won, they have a winning legacy.
So, these are the things which comes very naturally to my mind when I think about CSK. Yeah, as of now, as you said, last 15 days for you has been very exciting from CSK side. But for me, last five months has been really exciting.
So, I have been waiting for this day. And I am very fortunate that I am going to wear the yellow jersey.
Question: Was it always a dream for you to wear the yellow jersey?
Sanju Samson: You can say yes. I believe in destiny, I believe in timing, I believe in sudden intuitive decision making, which I always do in my life. So, I am very fortunate that I ended up in one of the biggest franchises in IPL history. So, yes, very happy that things have turned out this way.
Question: From the outside, what is it that you have heard about Chennai Super Kings’ dressing room? And therefore, what is it that you would want to experience about that Chennai Super Kings’ dressing room?
Sanju Samson: Yeah, I think I have heard lots and lots of things. Being a part of IPL for more than 10 years, I think you have a lot of friends in lot of other franchises, you are a part of the Indian dressing room. One thing, I am not saying it because I have actually come to the CSK franchise, but one thing which I have heard from each and every Indian cricketer, each and every domestic cricketer and also the international players, is that CSK dressing room is one of the finest dressing rooms in IPL. I am looking forward to experiencing it. I think listening to the stories definitely excites me as a person and as a cricketer.
Question: Your fans are already very excited. What do you want to say to that section of fans?
Sanju Samson: I am very happy. As I said, when I was young, I used to go to Chennai to play cricket. I have a lot of friends there. Malayalam and Tamil are very close actually. So, in my house, where I come from, we watch a lot of Tamil movies. A lot of people speak Tamil. So, when I was young, I used to like to speak in Tamil. I have a lot of Tamil friends.
CSK is the closest place in the IPL for people in Kerala. In Kerala, you can see a lot of yellow jerseys. So, there are a lot of connections like that. I am very happy. I don’t speak Tamil very often. But, whenever I meet a person, whenever I meet a friend, Tamil comes automatically. I think from this moment on, I will be speaking in Tamil more often.
Everyone is sending messages like ‘Ok, I have also become a Chennai Super Kings fan now’. From now, I am also wearing Chennai jersey for you. So, that’s all a great thing to feel and a great thing to experience. I am very happy. Let’s see how it goes.
Question: When you wore that Chennai Super Kings jersey for the first time, what was the feeling like?
Sanju Samson: I felt like a champion. I felt like, ok, wow. I think it feels great actually. I think it was a great feeling to wear that jersey. As I said, I am always in my dark colours like black, blue, brown. But, yellow, definitely I think, I felt very positive. I felt very happy. I felt very different. A different energy wearing that jersey.
Question: Looking forward to meeting your friends? Who are your best friends in the CSK dressing room?
Sanju Samson: I have a lot of friends. But, there is a person there. Everyone knows him. There is a person called MS Dhoni. I met him when I was 19. When I was 19 years old, I got selected in the Indian team for the first time. I went for a UK tour. Mahi Bhai was the captain. I interacted with him for 10-20 days. After that, I used to see him during the IPL, there will always be a crowd in front of him.
Five people here, 10 people there. OK, here I cannot meet, I will have to meet him only separately. I had such a desire. Destiny has got me to come and play with him in one dressing room. Definitely, very genuinely excited to meet him and interact with him. Sit, have breakfast with him. Practise with him.
Play matches with him. Wow! Just thinking about it makes me very happy. After that, I have a lot of friends. Rutu is one of my great friends. I have played a lot of matches with him for India A. Rutu is a good friend of mine. When he is the captain, his captaincy… I want to play under his captaincy, I want to be with him as a leader.
I want to support him in whatever way he wants me to. I connect with him a bit more. I feel he is a bit calm, composed and easy-going guy. I connect with people like him a lot. So, looking forward to meet him and play with him in IPL. Then, there are a lot of people who excite me in that yellow jersey. Fleming is someone I am very much looking forward to work with.
And Michael Hussey. When Michael Hussey played, I used to go like, what kind of a player is he? This used to go on in my mind. So, looking forward to be with him. And then our next upcoming superstar, Dewald Brevis.
I think I love the way he is coming up along. So, it’s a very exciting journey with CSK. It’s very exciting. Touchwood.
