Samson shares his Warne memories; tells how people used to mock his folks

The former Australian spinner Shane Warne was the first-ever Royal and the only captain to lead Rajasthan to an IPL title.

In the inaugural season, Rajasthan Royals had defeated Chennai Super Kings in the final to claim their maiden title in the first edition of the league. Warne, who passed away in March due to a suspected heart attack at the age of 52, left a sturdy impression with his remarkable leadership and inspired the upcoming generations to play good quality cricket.  

Rajasthan Royals (RR), recently paid tribute to the Aussie star by wearing a special jersey in his honour during their recent encounter against Mumbai Indians (MI) at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday (April 30).  

Meanwhile, in the latest episode of Breakfast With Champions, the current Royals' captain Sanju Samson opened up on his interactions with the departed soul. Talking about the 'Charismatic personality' of the Australian legend, Samson reckoned that if one spent an hour with Warne, the learnings would be enough for your entire life. Samson also added how the former Aussie spinner lived his whole 52 years like a 'King'. 

"I think the memories we have, the days he has lived in his life, it has been super special. If you had spent even one hour with him, you can take the learnings for your whole life. That's the kind of personality (he was), and he lived his 52 years of life like a King. His ideas were superb," Samson said on the YouTube show.    

Kerala wicketkeeper-batter made his Indian Premier League debut for Rajasthan Royals in 2013, and after spending a few seasons with the Royals, he moved to the Delhi franchise. He made his way back to RR camp in 2018 and was later appointed as the captain of the franchise in 2021. 

Recalling his training and grinding time in Kerala, Samson revealed how his parents sacrificed a lot to provide him and his brother with the best. 

"My father was still in Delhi, working for the Police. After a couple of years, when I didn't play anything, he took voluntary retirement from Delhi Police and moved to Kerala. Then in the morning and evening, he'd take me to the practice, take me for the matches. We'd travel everywhere on a two-wheeler bike. It was a very challenging phase, actually, but at that time, both my father and mother didn't make us realize that they were struggling for us," said the RR captain. 

"At times, you don't realize these things. You just think, 'okay, let's go there, let's go there and do as you please'. But when you've matured enough when you have understood a lot of things about different situations, family and financial situations, one understands how bold a decision it was by both of them, and they both sacrificed a lot for us. 

The 27-year-old, recalling the days of his practice, revealed how people used to make fun of Samson and his father by calling them "the next Tendulkar and his father."

"Back when we used to play in Delhi, our parents would carry kit bags to the bus stop as we were quite young; back then, bystanders would remark, Sachin and his parents are passing by, 'He'll become Tendulkar'. A lot of fun was made of them like this, but they were confident," Samson concluded.