SANJU SAMSON recalls the favourite day in his burgeoning career. It was 2013, he was 18-years-old and had traveled from his home in Kerala to Jaipur for a trial with the Rajashtan Royals. The IPL is the ultimate dream for young cricketers. For Samson the dream became reality thanks to one of the greats of the game.
Sanju Samson
Samson had caught the eye of Rahul Dravid, the then Rajasthan Royals coach, who in just the second day of the trial came up to him and said: "Sanju, you have a very special talent and I would really love to make you play in my Rajasthan Royals team. Would you play for us?"
"If anyone asks which is your favourite day in this career, definitely that's the day, till now," said Samson.
Fast forward eight years and now Samson leads the Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2021. He started the tournament with an exciting century against Punjab Kings on Monday (12), though his side failed to win the match. His brilliant 63-ball 119 with 12 fours and seven sixes had almost won the game for his team.
The 26-year-old leads a star-studded team consisting of players such as England World Cup winners Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. They also forked out an IPL record £1,6 million, to get the services of South Africa all-rounder Chris Morris.
Samson, who is captaining for the first time in the pressure-cooker of the IPL, says he is confident he can lead the Royals to success.
“There is no pressure this time. The only way is up. The role of captain is very exciting.
I am especially very happy to have Sanga (team director Kumar Sangakkara) alongside me and other senior players in the squad. Ben (Stokes), Jos (Butler) everyone is so much support and they are completely aligned with whatever the team decides,” Samson told Eastern Eye.
Kumar Sangakkara (left) with Chris Morris
“I am very much happy to do this job and very much excited looking forward to the matches ahead.”
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, matches are being played in empty stadiums. Samson said that he hopes to have some fans back soon.
“But IPL 2021 will be very different. The tournament itself coming back to India is a positive thing. Meanwhile, we all will miss the fans and energy. To be very honest, we are looking forward to having some fans on the ground. We will miss them,” the Indian international said.
“I believe there will be some good competition going around and some good entertainment for the crowd watching at home.”
When asked about the consistency, he said that when you are a batsman and looking for big hits chances of getting out is always there.
“I think it is always expecting or accepting that you may fail and at the same time keeping the intent and keeping the aggressive mindset. At the same time I need to be mature enough to understand what does the condition demand and how the wicket is behaving,” he said.
“I am getting smarter and smarter at that and I will keep on learning and getting better.”
Rajasthan Royals were underdogs in the maiden season in 2008, but they won the title. They've finished seven times in the bottom half of the table since only making the playoffs three times. It only exacerbated in 2020, when they finished at the bottom of the table.
“We are evenly balanced this time. We have found out a really good team and combination and we are comfortable with pace and spin,” Samson said.
‘Players as people first’ policy
A key to the Royals’ success will be getting Archer, arguably the world’s best fast-bowler in T20 cricket, back to full-fitness. Team director Kumar Sangakkara said Archer will not be rushed back from his elbow injury.
“Jofra's comeback depends on the experts he is working with in England. They will take a pragmatic view of how he is progressing. They will have a view on how Jofra develops beyond IPL as he is such an important part of England set up in all formats of the game. For us, it is to be guided by those experts' advice and then wait for that assessment to take place and more information comes to us,” Sangakkara said.
He added that he hopes the England fast bowler will play some part in their IPL campaign this season.
When asked about the impact of the pandemic situation in India on IPL, Sangakkara said that everyone is making efforts to minimise or to reduce any possible chance of the bubble being contaminated.
“The consequence of infection can be dramatic. We all have to take responsibility, but at this moment and having experienced what they have in place I am confident that the tournament will be played to its conclusion. The IPL is doing a professional and efficient job in keeping the tournament bubble safe,” he said.
“In the current context and circumstances of living in a bubble, training there, not having access to your regular support structures and families, there here are lots of concerns about the mental health of players. We are keeping players relaxed, interested, calm and happy. It is something that every franchise takes very seriously and Rajasthan itself is working with a host of experts, who are giving us advice.”
According to Sangakkara, the team’s policy is ‘players as people first. “We ensure that they have what they need and we have an open-door policy for questions, conversations, for anything that players need not just in terms of IPL cricket. We are concerned about their well-being mentally, physically and the well-being of their families. We take a lot of pride and real interest in getting to know the players, understanding them and support them in any which way we can.”
Watch the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL exclusively live on Sky Sports Cricket.
Temba Bavuma of South Africa lifts the ICC World Test Championship Mace with teammates following his team's victory on Day Four of the WTC final against Australia at Lord's Cricket Ground on June 14. (Photo: Getty Images)
AIDEN MARKRAM's century helped South Africa secure a five-wicket win over Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s on Saturday. With this result, South Africa claimed their first major global title in men’s cricket.
Set 282 to win, South Africa reached the target before lunch on the fourth day, finishing on 282-5. Markram was dismissed for 136 after bringing his team to within six runs of victory.
The Proteas resumed on 213-2, needing 69 runs more. Markram, who had been out for a duck in the first innings, was unbeaten on 102 at the start of the day. Captain Temba Bavuma was on 65 despite struggling with a hamstring injury.
South Africa’s history in knockout games had often been marked by defeats, including 18 failed attempts in previous ODI and T20 World Cups. They had only reached one final before this – last year’s T20 World Cup in Barbados, where they lost to India after requiring just 30 runs from the last 30 balls with six wickets in hand.
On Saturday, however, South Africa held on to win. A team without many big names succeeded where players like Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis had not.
South Africa had an early setback when Bavuma, adding only one run to his overnight score, was caught behind off Australia captain Pat Cummins. His partnership with Markram ended at 147, but South Africa were still in control at 217-3.
With clear skies and a flat pitch, conditions were in the batters’ favour. Markram continued, cutting Cummins for four and later pulling him again to bring the target down to 50.
Cummins brought on Nathan Lyon, hoping for spin. But it was Mitchell Starc who got a breakthrough, bowling Tristan Stubbs for eight with a delivery that cut in sharply.
Australia took the new ball with South Africa at 268-4, needing just 14 more runs. Markram then drove Josh Hazlewood’s first ball for four and followed it up with three more runs off the next.
He fell shortly after, pulling Hazlewood to Travis Head at midwicket. His 207-ball innings included 14 fours.
Markram walked back to a standing ovation. Several Australian players shook his hand.
Kyle Verreynne then scored the winning run. He might have been out had Australia had any reviews remaining. South Africa’s 282-5 became the second-highest fourth-innings chase in a Lord’s Test, behind the West Indies’ 344-1 against England in 1984.
Kagiso Rabada also played a key role in the victory, finishing with match figures of 9-110.
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Royal Challengers Bengaluru's Virat Kohli (C), along with his teammates, celebrates with the trophy after winning the Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 final cricket match against Punjab Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on June 4, 2025. (Photo by ARUN SANKAR/AFP via Getty Images)
BRITISH giant Diageo is exploring the sale of its controlling stake in India's Royal Challengers Bengaluru cricket team, potentially valuing the newly-crowned champions at up to £1.6 billion ($2bn).
The maker of Guinness and Johnnie Walker whisky is weighing its options for the Indian Premier League franchise, including selling part or all of its ownership through United Spirits, its Indian subsidiary where it holds a 55.9 per cent controlling interest, reported the Bloomberg.
Reports said that the London-based company has been in talks with potential advisers about various possibilities for the team, though no final decision has been made and Diageo may choose to keep the franchise.
United Spirits quickly dismissed the speculation in a stock exchange filing, calling reports of a potential sale "speculative in nature" and adding it was "not pursuing any such discussions". Diageo declined to comment when approached.
The timing of these discussions coincides with mounting pressure from India's health ministry, which is pushing to ban all tobacco and alcohol advertising from the IPL. Current Indian law already prohibits direct promotion of these products, forcing companies like Diageo to advertise alternative products using cricket stars instead.
However, the triumph was overshadowed by tragedy when a deadly stampede during the team's victory celebrations in Bengaluru killed at least 11 people, creating reputational challenges for the franchise owners.
Diageo's connection to the team traces back to troubled aviation entrepreneur Vijay Mallya, once known as "India's Richard Branson" and "the king of good times".
Mallya was forced to sell his spirits empire to Diageo for £60 million thirteen years ago to raise funds for his failing Kingfisher Airlines, which eventually collapsed in 2012 owing roughly £1bn to banks.
The potential disposal fits with Diageo's broader strategy to streamline its global portfolio. Finance chief Nik Jhangiani recently outlined plans for "substantial" disposals beyond the "usual smaller brand disposals" as part of a £400m cost-cutting programme.
"It's clearly going to be above and beyond the usual smaller brand disposals you've seen over the last three years," Jhangiani said during the company's third-quarter update.
The company has already begun reducing its exposure in various markets, selling its Nigerian and Ghanaian Guinness operations last year and swapping Cîroc vodka rights for basketball star LeBron James-backed tequila brand Lobos 1707 in April.
Any sale would come at a time when IPL team valuations are soaring, making franchises among the most coveted assets in global sport. The league has grown into a commercial powerhouse rivalling the NFL and Premier League, with its short three-hour matches attracting hundreds of millions of viewers worldwide.
Diageo aims to generate around £2.4bn in free cash flow from 2026, supported by its cost-saving programme, to fund further investments and improve its financial position amid challenging market conditions in key regions like the US.
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Kagiso Rabada celebrates with teammate Kyle Verreynne after taking the wicket of Alex Carey during day two of the WTC Final 2025 between South Africa and Australia at Lord's on June 12, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
SOUTH AFRICA remain confident about chasing down a big target in the World Test Championship final at Lord’s, despite the match being dominated by the bowlers so far.
David Bedingham, who top scored with 45 in South Africa’s first innings total of 138, said the team believed they could chase whatever target Australia set.
Australia, who lead by 218 runs with two second innings wickets remaining, will resume on Friday aiming to stretch their lead further and put South Africa under more pressure.
“I think it's just an amazing chance. And I think we're all very, very excited about the opportunity to win,” Bedingham said after the second day’s play.
“Like I said, it could go either way, but I think us as a team are very, very excited and there's a lot of belief in the dressing room.”
With 28 wickets falling over the first two days, bowlers have dominated the contest so far. South Africa’s chances of chasing down the target appear challenging.
“I think when you have six quality seamers on a tricky pitch, it obviously makes batting tough. But I think the way the game's going, I think the wicket has slowed down a bit. The nicks aren't carrying," Bedingham said.
“So I think in the fourth innings, they'll maybe come a bit straighter, and hopefully we can get those runs.”
He said Australia’s bowling, led by Pat Cummins who took six wickets on Thursday, had been difficult to handle.
“Personally, I don't think the Australians gave us any bad balls. That's why they're the best in the world.
“But hopefully, going forward, we can just counteract that and win the World Test Championship. The main thing is just to 100% commit if you are defending or attacking. I think as soon as you get caught in two minds against this attack, you get found out,” he said.
The third-highest successful chase at Lord’s is England’s 277 against New Zealand three years ago. West Indies chased down 342 against England in 1984, while England scored 282 against New Zealand in 2004.
England also chased 218 against New Zealand in 1965, which is the fourth-highest successful chase at the venue.
GRASSROOTS sports education platform Sportzprix last Saturday (7) announced the launch of a digital sports marketing master’s degree for Indian talent in collaboration with UAX Rafa Nadal University School in Spain.
The nine-month course, developed by UAX Rafa Nadal University School, combines global expertise with local insight through an India module co-created by Sportzprix. The online programme will be open to graduates, working professionals and sports entrepreneurs.
“I’ve always believed in the transformative power of sport – and when paired with education, its impact becomes truly enduring,” said tennis legend and mentor Nadal.
“Sport shapes character, resilience and ambition, but academic grounding gives it direction and depth.
“The UAX Rafa Nadal School of Sport excites me because it reflects this powerful synergy – combining education, specialisation and realworld relevance. With the incredible team behind this initiative, I’m confident we’ll equip future professionals with the skills and mindset the global sports industry demands.”
Prasad Mangipudi, co-founder and CEO of Sportzprix, said, “With India bidding for global events like the Olympics and Commonwealth Games, and domestic leagues becoming bigger and more professional, the country is poised for a sports revolution.
“Shaping sports professionals in the field of marketing will play a central role in determining its future.
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Marnus Labuschagne is opening the batting for Australia for the first time in his Test career. (Photo: Getty Images)
SOUTH AFRICA captain Temba Bavuma won the toss and chose to bowl against Australia in the World Test Championship final at Lord's on Wednesday.
The conditions in London were overcast, which could assist South Africa's fast bowlers. Australia, the reigning champions, also have a strong pace attack.
Marnus Labuschagne is opening the batting for Australia for the first time in his Test career.
"We'll have a bowl first," said Bavuma at the toss. "The surface looks a good one, with solid overhead conditions.
"I'm happy. It's too late now for anything else. We've selected the best team for the conditions."
He added, "It's massive. I think all of us have some sort of allegiance to Lord's. It should be a spectacle of a game."
Australia captain Pat Cummins said they were satisfied with batting first.
"There's a few clouds but that's not unusual for England," Cummins said. "It's dry and might turn later in the match.
"I don't think there's any extra pressure (as defending champions). We've been here before and won it. This week is about enjoying it."
Both teams had announced their playing XIs on Tuesday.
For Australia, all-rounder Beau Webster stays at number six, and Josh Hazlewood has been included in the pace attack ahead of Scott Boland.
South Africa selected Wiaan Mulder at number three and chose Lungi Ngidi over Dane Paterson. Paterson is familiar with the conditions at Lord's, having played for Middlesex this season.
Kagiso Rabada returns to Test cricket after serving a one-month ban earlier this year for cocaine use.
South Africa are aiming to win their first major title since the 1998 ICC Knockout, the predecessor to the Champions Trophy.
Australia, the top-ranked Test team, won the 2023 WTC final against India and have claimed several white-ball titles.
Teams
Australia: Usman Khawaja, Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Beau Webster, Alex Carey (wkt), Pat Cummins (capt), Mitchell Starc, Nathan Lyon, Josh Hazlewood
South Africa: Aiden Markram, Ryan Rickelton, Wiaan Mulder, Temba Bavuma (capt), Tristan Stubbs, David Bedingham, Kyle Verreynne (wkt), Marco Jansen, Keshav Maharaj, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi
Umpires: Chris Gaffaney (NZL), Richard Illingworth (ENG) TV Umpire: Richard Kettleborough (ENG) Match Referee: Javagal Srinath (IND)