Wasim Akram recalled the time he bowled to the Team India star during a net session at KKR.
Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram delved into the memories from his stint with the Kolkata Knight Riders when he got a chance to bowl at Sanju Samson in the nets. The left-hander, who was among the fiercest swing bowlers of his era, served as the bowling coach for the KKR between 2010 and 2016. He recalled the time when the camp had fallen short of bowlers as he got a chance to hit some deliveries on the deck in the nets.
File image of Wasim Akram. (Getty Images)
Akram reminisced the time when a 16-year-old Sanju Samson came into bat in the nets.
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“I think this incident happened in 2010. I remember KKR had a black kit in 2010. They changed to purple in 2011. So we organized a camp before IPL. Not at Eden Gardens, but on another ground. So there were few bowlers only available for the camp. Sanju Samson came in to bat. He was a very shy boy then. He used to be silent, and his wicketkeeping skills were great. Then, he came to bat as well,” the swing king told Sportskeeda.
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The former KKR coach further stated how he beat the 16-year-old with two outswingers initially and rattled the stumps through his defence with an inswinger on the third ball.
“So, I took the ball, and I hope Sanju you remember this. Sanju will remember this. I beat him with a couple of outswingers. I was also young at that time. The third ball I bowled an inswinger and rattled his stumps. So I went and did like this (shows the sendoff he gave by swinging his finger),” he said.
Wasim Akram also revealed how he could recognise Samson’s potential and how he would go on to become one of the finest players.
“At that time, he did not get a chance, but I felt that he had the potential to become a good player in the future. He was silent. He was a young kid. When big names are around you, you tend to come under pressure. I was with him for a short time only, but I got that feeling that he can become a good player,” he concluded.
Samson in IPL 2024 so far
Samson has been impressive, both as captain and batter, in the ongoing season so far. While Rajasthan Royals stay comfortably at the top in the table with seven wins in eight matches, Samson has scored 314 runs in eight innings so far, boasting a strike rate of 152.42. He has three half-centuries to his name in the season.
