Sanju Samson Biography: Age, Family, Wife, Height, Stats, Records, Net Worth, Salary & IPL Career
Summary:
Sanju Viswanath Samson is an Indian international wicketkeeper-batter who plays for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL and captains Kerala in domestic cricket. Born on 11 November 1994 in a small coastal village in Kerala, Samson’s journey from a talented but often overlooked domestic prospect to ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Player of the Tournament is one of Indian cricket’s most compelling comeback stories. This biography covers his age, family, wife, IPL career, international stats, net worth, and full record of achievements.
Quick Info
Hometown | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala |
Age | 31 Years |
Wife | Charulatha Remesh |
Sanju Samson Bio/Wiki
Bio/Wiki | |
Full Name | Sanju Viswanath Samson |
Nickname(s) | Bappa ji |
Profession | Cricketer (Wicketkeeper-Batter) |
Physical Stats: | |
Height | 5′ 7″ (170 cm) |
Weight | ~75 kg |
Eye Colour | Black |
Hair Colour | Black |
Cricket: | |
International Debut | T20I – 19 July 2015 vs Zimbabwe, Harare ODI – 23 July 2021 vs Sri Lanka, Colombo |
Jersey Number | #9 (India) · #11 (Rajasthan Royals, 2013-2025) |
Domestic/Franchise Teams | First-Class: Kerala IPL: Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils/Capitals, Chennai Super Kings (2026-present) |
Batting Style | Right-hand bat |
Bowling Style | Off-spin (occasional) |
Coach | Biju George |
Favourite Shot | Pull shot |
Notable Records | First Indian wicketkeeper to score a T20I century; most sixes in a single T20 World Cup edition (24, 2026); highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final (89, 2026) |
Major Awards | IPL Best Young Player Award (2013) · ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 winner · ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 Player of the Tournament |
Personal Life: | |
Date of Birth | 11 November 1994 (Friday) |
Age (as of 2026) | 31 Years |
Birthplace | Pulluvila, Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
Zodiac Sign | Scorpio |
Nationality | Indian |
School | Rosary Senior Secondary School, Mukherjee Nagar, New Delhi · St. Joseph’s Higher Secondary School, Thiruvananthapuram |
College | Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram |
Educational Qualification | Bachelor of Arts in English Literature |
Religion | Christianity |
Social Media | Instagram, Facebook, X (Twitter): @imsanjusamson |
Relationships & More: | |
Marital Status | Married |
Wife/Spouse | Charulatha Remesh |
Marriage Date | 22 December 2018, Kovalam, Kerala |
Family: | |
Father | Viswanath Samson (retired Delhi Police constable, former footballer) |
Mother | Ligy Samson (homemaker) |
Sibling | Saly Samson (brother; former Kerala junior cricketer) |
Money Factor | |
IPL Salary | ₹18 crore (Chennai Super Kings, 2026) |
BCCI Central Contract | Grade-based annual retainer (exact grade subject to BCCI’s latest list) |
Estimated Net Worth (2026) | ₹85-100 crore |
Early Life and Family Background
Sanju Viswanath Samson was born on 11 November 1994 in Pulluvila, a small coastal village near Vizhinjam in the Thiruvananthapuram district of Kerala. He was born into a Malayali Christian family. His father, Viswanath Samson, worked as a Delhi Police constable and was formerly a footballer who represented Delhi in the Santosh Trophy, an influence that played a major role in shaping Sanju’s early sporting discipline. His mother, Ligy Samson, is a homemaker, and his elder brother, Sally Samson, played junior-level cricket for Kerala and now works in the Accountant General’s office.
Samson began playing cricket at a young age, initially disliking fielding drills before developing into a naturally gifted, fearless batter. He captained Kerala’s Under-13 side early in his development and made his first-class debut for Kerala at just 17. His breakthrough moment came during the 2013-14 Under-19 Asia Cup, where he scored a century off 87 balls in the final against Pakistan to help India lift the trophy, a performance that first put him on the national radar.
Sanju Samson Age, Height and Personal Details
As of 2026, Sanju Samson is 31 years old. He stands 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) tall and weighs approximately 75 kg. He bats right-handed, keeps wicket, and occasionally bowls off-spin.
Attribute | Detail |
Full name | Sanju Viswanath Samson |
Date of birth | 11 November 1994 (Friday) |
Age (2026) | 31 years |
Birthplace | Pulluvila, Vizhinjam, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala |
Nickname | Chettan / Chetta |
Height | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) |
Weight | ~75 kg |
Batting style | Right-handed |
Bowling style | Off-spin (occasional) |
Role | Wicketkeeper-batter |
Religion | Christian |
Family, Wife and Personal Life
Sanju Samson married Charulatha Remesh on 22 December 2018 in a private ceremony in Kovalam, near Thiruvananthapuram. The couple first met as classmates at Mar Ivanios College and dated for several years before marrying. Charulatha holds a postgraduate degree in Human Resources and has worked as an HR professional and entrepreneur, largely staying away from media attention. As of publicly available information, the couple does not have children.
Family Member | Detail |
Father | Viswanath Samson (former Delhi Police constable and footballer) |
Mother | Ligy Samson (homemaker) |
Brother | Saly Samson (former Kerala junior cricketer) |
Wife | Charulatha Remesh (married 22 December 2018) |
Residence | Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, and Chennai/Jaipur during IPL seasons |
Domestic and IPL Career Journey
Samson’s domestic career began with Kerala, where he became the state’s top scorer in the 2013-14 Ranji Trophy season with 530 runs at an average of 58.88. He was named captain of the Kerala Ranji team in 2015-16 at just 20 years old, making him the youngest player to captain the side.
In the IPL, Samson was first picked by Kolkata Knight Riders in 2012, before moving to Rajasthan Royals in 2013, where he spent the majority of his career across two stints (2013-2015 and 2018-2025), including a two-season spell with Delhi Daredevils (2016-2017) in between.He captained Rajasthan Royals for several seasons and led them to the 2022 IPL final, adding his name to the broader leadership discussion around the best captains in IPL history. Ahead of the 2026 season, Samson was traded to Chennai Super Kings for ₹18 crore, ending a 13-year association with the Royals.
Franchise | Years |
Kolkata Knight Riders | 2012 |
Rajasthan Royals | 2013-2015, 2018-2025 |
Delhi Daredevils | 2016-2017 |
Chennai Super Kings | 2026-present |
Sanju Samson IPL Stats
Across a professional IPL career spanning 2013 to the present, Samson has established himself among the league’s most consistent Indian run-scorers, and his 190-match career also places him in the wider conversation around the most matches played in IPL history and one of the best wicketkeepers in IPL history when batting impact is included. and became the fastest Indian batter to reach the 5,000-run mark by balls faced.
IPL Career Stat | Figure |
Matches | 190 |
Runs | 5,181 |
Average | 31.98 |
Strike rate | 139.05 |
Centuries | 5 |
Half-centuries | 27 |
Highest score | 119 (vs Punjab Kings, 2021) |
Sixes | 243+ |
His 2026 season with Chennai Super Kings was statistically one of his most explosive, even as the team was eliminated in the league stage.
IPL 2026 Season Stat | Figure |
Matches/Innings | 14 |
Runs | 477 |
Average | 34.1 |
Strike rate | 165 |
Centuries | 2 (115 vs Mumbai Indians, 101 vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru) |
Highest score | 115 |
Team finish | 8th, eliminated at league stage |
International Career: ODI and T20I Journey
Samson made his T20I debut on 19 July 2015 against Zimbabwe and his ODI debut much later, on 23 July 2021, against Sri Lanka. His ODI opportunities have remained limited compared to his T20I run, with his last ODI appearance coming on 21 December 2023 against South Africa.
Sanju Samson International Career Stats at a Glance
| Format | Debut | Matches | Runs | Average | Centuries | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I | 19 July 2015 vs Zimbabwe | 62 | 1,399 | — | 3 | 97* |
| ODI | 23 July 2021 vs Sri Lanka | 16 | 510 | — | 1 | 108 |
Samson has represented India in a wicketkeeping capacity across both white-ball formats, contributing catches and stumpings alongside his batting output.
T20 World Cup 2026: Player of the Tournament
Samson’s career reached a new peak at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, a tournament that helped push him into the conversation around the top current cricketers in the world.Having started the tournament on the bench, he was drafted into the XI during the Super 8 stage and delivered a sequence of match-winning innings: an unbeaten 97 off 50 balls against West Indies at Eden Gardens, 89 off 42 balls against England at Wankhede Stadium, and 89 off 46 balls in the final against New Zealand in Ahmedabad, the highest individual score ever recorded in a T20 World Cup final. India won that final by 96 runs to claim their third T20 World Cup title.
Across the tournament, Samson scored 321 runs in five innings at a strike rate of 199.37, hitting 24 sixes, the most by any batter in a single T20 World Cup edition, surpassing Virat Kohli’s previous record of 319 runs. He was named Player of the Tournament for his contribution.
T20 World Cup 2026 Stat | Figure |
Matches/Innings | 5 |
Runs | 321 |
Strike rate | 199.37 |
Sixes | 24 (most in a single edition) |
Best score | 97* vs West Indies |
Final match score | 89 vs New Zealand (highest in a T20 WC final) |
Award | Player of the Tournament |
Net Worth and Brand Value
Sanju Samson’s estimated net worth as of 2026 is reported to be in the range of ₹85-100 crore, built primarily through IPL contracts, BCCI central contract payments, and brand endorsements. His ₹18 crore IPL 2026 price tag with Chennai Super Kings reflects his standing as one of the league’s most valuable Indian batters, following a ₹14 crore retention with Rajasthan Royals in prior seasons.
Income Source | Estimated Value |
Net worth (2026) | ₹85-100 crore |
IPL 2026 salary (CSK) | ₹18 crore |
Previous IPL salary (RR) | ₹14 crore |
Additional income | Brand endorsements, BCCI central contract |
Records and Achievements
Samson holds several notable individual records across formats:
- First Indian wicketkeeper to score a century in T20 Internationals.
- First batter to score two consecutive centuries in T20Is.
- Scored three T20I centuries in the 2024 calendar year, a rare individual milestone.
- Most sixes by any batter in a single T20 World Cup edition (24, in 2026), surpassing Virat Kohli’s previous record.
- Highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final (89, in the 2026 final).
- Fastest Indian batter to reach 5,000 IPL runs by balls faced.
- Youngest player to captain Kerala in the Ranji Trophy (age 20, in 2015-16).
- ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament, 2026.
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Conclusion
Sanju Samson’s career reflects a rare mix of natural talent, patience, and reinvention, and his white-ball hitting ability also fits naturally into the wider debate around the best finishers in IPL history. From a promising but often overlooked domestic prospect to India’s most explosive white-ball finisher and a World Cup-winning Player of the Tournament, Samson’s story continues to evolve with each season. With a fresh start at Chennai Super Kings and his place firmly established in India’s T20I setup, his numbers, and his legacy, are still being written.
Sanju Samson Career Stats: Full Summary Table
| Format/Category | Matches | Runs | Average | Strike Rate | Centuries | Best Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| T20I (International) | 62 | 1,399 | — | — | 3 | 97* |
| ODI (International) | 16 | 510 | — | — | 1 | 108 |
| IPL (Career) | 190 | 5,181 | 31.98 | 139.05 | 5 | 119 |
| IPL 2026 (CSK season) | 14 | 477 | 34.1 | 165 | 2 | 115 |
| T20 World Cup 2026 | 5 | 321 | — | 199.37 | 0 | 97* |
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FAQS❓
Sanju Samson was born on 11 November 1994, making him 31 years old in 2026.
Sanju Samson is married to Charulatha Remesh. The couple married on 22 December 2018 in Kovalam, Kerala, after meeting as college classmates.
As of 2026, Sanju Samson’s estimated net worth is between ₹85-100 crore, driven largely by his IPL contract with Chennai Super Kings, BCCI payments, and endorsements.
Samson has played for Kolkata Knight Riders (2012), Rajasthan Royals (2013-2015, 2018-2025), Delhi Daredevils (2016-2017), and Chennai Super Kings (2026-present).
His standout achievement is being named Player of the Tournament at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, where he scored 321 runs at a strike rate of 199.37, including the highest individual score in a T20 World Cup final.