Dubai: Wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson, a proud Malayali, has revealed that he draws inspiration from Kerala’s legendary actor Mohanlal, highlighting the importance of versatility and adaptability in cricket. Speaking ahead of India’s Super 4 match against Bangladesh on Wednesday, September 24, Samson likened his own journey in the sport to Mohanlal’s long and varied acting career.

Samson on batting roles

In an interview with official broadcasters, Samson was asked by former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar why he was not being given the opening position, where he has scored three T20I hundreds over the past year. Samson explained that, like Mohanlal, who has successfully played a variety of roles over decades, he too wanted to experiment with different batting positions.

He said, “Yeah, recently, our Lalettan - Mohanlal, the cinema actor from Kerala, he got a very big award from the country. He has been acting over the last 30-40 years. I have also been playing for my country for the last 10 years. So, I can't say I can only do a hero role. I need to a villain, I need to be a joker. I need to play around. I can't say that I have scored runs as an opener and I am really good at top 3. let me try this also. Why can't I be a good villain?”

He added with a smile, “Sanju Mohanlal Samson.”

Remarks spark social media buzz

Samson’s comments quickly went viral, coming just a day after Mohanlal received the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, the highest honour in Indian cinema. The cricketer’s analogy underscores the value of flexibility in an intensely competitive Indian cricket set-up, reflecting both his personal philosophy and a nod to Kerala pride.