Thiruvananthapuram: Samson Viswanath, the father of cricketer Sanju Samson, has raised serious allegations against the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), claiming that certain individuals within the association are actively blocking his son's opportunities in the sport.

Samson’s frustration came to light after Sanju was excluded from the Vijay Hazare Trophy, despite other players who skipped the training camp being allowed to participate.

Samson shared his concerns to Mathrubhumi.com stating that it was already known prior to the camp that Sanju would not be selected for the tournament. He further accused the KCA of holding a grudge against his son, adding that the decision to exclude Sanju was made long before the tournament.

“There are people within KCA who have something against my child,” Samson said. “We’ve never spoken out against the association before, but this time, it’s become too much. Sanju isn’t the only one who didn’t attend the camp, yet other players in the same situation were allowed to play.”

Samson did not shy away from pointing out that some individuals within the KCA seem to harbor personal vendettas. “It’s not about Jayesh George or Vinod; it’s some small people in between who turn everything into poison over trivial matters,” he said, referring to instances when he or his son may have inadvertently offended others within the association.

He also addressed his concerns about past events, recalling how KCA had earlier denied an opportunity for his elder son, who had aspirations to play for India, due to an injury. Samson highlighted a specific incident when he was disrespected by the then KCA president, T.C. Mathew, after asking for leave on behalf of his injured son.

“We are sportsmen, not interested in the business of sports. All I want is for my son to be given a fair chance to play. If there’s any mistake, we’re open to discussion and ready to fix it,” Samson added, pleading with KCA to allow Sanju the opportunity to showcase his talent.

Samson’s comments come amidst growing tensions between the Samson family and KCA, following Sanju’s exclusion from the Indian team for the ICC Champions Trophy. Shashi Tharoor also weighed in on the matter, criticizing the KCA for its role in Sanju’s career setbacks, blaming the association's egos for hindering the young cricketer's progress.