New Delhi

Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson turned 32 on Wednesday, marking another year of what has been a rollercoaster of a career with Men in Blue and in the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

From early promise with Rajasthan Royals and India U19 side to delivering title-sealing T20 World Cup triumph this year, Sanju's story is one of the most inspiring ones in Indian cricket. Often finding himself struggling with consistency owing to his high-risk and high reward style of batting, the Keralam star would often warm the bench with Rishabh Pant, MS Dhoni, KL Rahul and Ishan Kishan often favoured over him. However as an opener in recent years, he has carved for himself a reputation as one of world's most destructive batters. 

In 82 T20Is for India, Samson has made 1,842 runs in 74 innings at an average of 26.69, with a strike rate of 158.24, with three centuries and 11 fifties and best score of 111. In 16 ODIs, he has made 510 runs at an average of 56.66, with a century and three fifties in 14 innings and a best score of 108. 

With India, he is a two-time T20 World Cup champion, with a 'Player of the Tournament' campaign this year with 321 runs and three successive fifties from virtual knockout clash against West Indies to the final against New Zealand being the crowning jewel of his career. He has also won an Asia Cup title and an Asian Games gold with Indian team.

Having represented Rajasthan Royals (RR) for most of his IPL career besides Delhi Capitals (DC) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Samson is one of league's marquee players with 5,181 runs in 191 matches at an average of 31.78 and a strike rate of over 141, with five centuries and 27 fifties. His best score is 119. He is the ninth-highest run-getter in league's history. 

Here are some records that Sanju holds in international cricket and the IPL: 

*Most runs in a single T20 World Cup edition for India

His 321 runs in five innings for India during this year's T20 WC triumph are most by an Indian during a campaign, overtaking Virat Kohli's total of 319 runs in six innings during 2014 edition. These runs came at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.38, with best score of 97*. 

*Most sixes in a T20 WC edition

Sanju's 24 sixes in just five innings are the most by a batter in a single T20 World Cup edition. 

*Highest score by an Indian in a T20I tournament final

Sanju's 46-ball 89 in the T20 World Cup final is the best score by an Indian in a T20 tournament final. 

*First Indian wicketkeeper to score T20I century

Sanju's brutal 47-ball 111 against Bangladesh at Hyderabad in October 2024 marked the first-ever T20I century by an Indian wicketkeeper-batter. Samson's three T20I tons are tied with West Indies skipper Shai Hope for most centuries in the format by a designated keeper-batter. 

*First Indian to smash back to back T20I centuries

With his 47-ball 111 against Bangladesh at home and 50-ball 107 against South Africa at Durban, he became the first-ever Indian and Asian cricketer to smash back-to-back T20I tons. 

*Most times smashing first-ever century of an IPL edition

Sanju has smashed the first-ever century of an IPL edition four times in 2017, 2019, 2021, 2026, a record, with Brendon McCullum at second place with two occasions. 

*First to smash centuries for three different IPL teams

Alongside KL Rahul and Quinton de Kock, Sanju Samson is one of the three batters with centuries for three IPL tons and was the first one to achieve this landmark with a century for CSK against Delhi Capitals this year. 

*Involved in India's highest T20I partnership

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At Durban against South Africa in late-2024, Sanju was involved in India's highest T20I stand of 210 runs for the the second wicket with Tilak Varma, where knocks from Sanju (109* in 56 balls, with six fours and nine sixes) and Tilak (120* in 47 balls, with nine fours and 10 sixes) guided India to a match-winning total of 283/1.