‘Syed Mushtaq Ali, Vijay Hazare and Ranji Trophy...’: Sanju Samson credits domestic circuit for grooming talent

Nisshin: Crediting a thriving domestic structure alongside the Indian Premier League (IPL) for building the nation's formidable bench strength, Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson highlighted how a robust ecosystem continues to produce world-class talent across international and age-group setups.

Speaking on the eve of India’s Asian Games men’s cricket semifinal against Sri Lanka, Samson pointed to the continuous pipeline that allows multiple Indian squads to operate simultaneously across international formats, 'A' tours, and age-group setups.

"Absolutely, I think it is all over the internet. It is a known fact nowadays how strong Indian cricket has grown from last so many years. So, I think there has been some constant effort. I think definitely IPL plays a huge role. But I feel our domestic cricket is also playing a huge role actually," Samson explained.

"We have been constantly making great efforts to go out and play all the domestic matches whenever we get a chance and that is where we tend to develop lot of talents also. So, our grooming things are really nicely placed actually," he noted.

Highlighting the pathway that powers Indian cricket, he added: "The Mushtaq Ali, the Vijay Hazare, the Ranji Trophy, even the under-19 are travelling abroad every season actually. So, a great amount of cricketers are coming from these kind of games, which is a great thing for our country and we will keep doing our best."

Samson also praised former captain Virat Kohli as an enduring source of inspiration across generations, stating that the national team feels "very, very fortunate" to have a player of his caliber setting the benchmark both on and off the field.

His comments follow Kohli's brilliant, unbeaten 139 in the Thiruvananthapuram ODI against the West Indies, which propelled India to an eight-wicket victory and saw him cross the 15,000-run milestone in ODIs—becoming only the second batter in history after Sachin Tendulkar to reach the mark.

"What to say? I think we are very, very fortunate to have someone like him. I think whenever he scores, runs, practices or, turns out to play a game of cricket for our country or wherever he goes, I think it is a great inspiration for people like us still playing the game in the Indian national team and for everyone playing alongside with him," Samson said.

“I think it definitely benefits the way he puts on the performances. So, very happy to have him," he added. (IANS)