Sanju Samson has drawn a cinematic parallel, likening his flexible batting role in the Indian cricket team to the unmatched versatility of Malayalam film icon Mohanlal, who is known for the variety of roles that he has portrayed on-screen.

A titan of South Indian cinema, Mohanlal Viswanathan is celebrated for his remarkable versatility. From intense dramas to lighthearted comedies, action-packed thrillers and soulful character studies, Mohanlal is known for effortlessly adapting to diverse roles.

Part of the Indian squad for the ongoing Asia Cup 2025, Sanju Samson, who captains the Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, has had a floating role in the team’s batting line-up.

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A natural top-order batter, Samson has walked out to bat at No. 3 and No. 5 in earlier matches, while remaining unused at No. 8 against Bangladesh.

While speaking about his floating role in the Indian batting order, Sanju Samson explained how he’s adapting to the team’s approach with a Mohanlal-inspired analogy.

“There’s our actor, Mohanlal, who got a big award from the Indian government (the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, India’s highest award in the field of cinema). He has been an actor for 20, 30, 40 years,” Samson told Sony Sports. “I have been playing for India for 10 years. So, I can’t come in and say ‘I only can do the hero role.’ I need to be a villain.

“I need to be a joker. I need to play around. You can’t say that you have scored runs in the opening position and you are really good in the top three spots. I feel let me try this also. No one can say why I can’t be a good villain. Let’s see how it goes.” he added.

Despite the uncertainty around his batting position, Samson has made his opportunities count - most notably with a fluent 45-ball 56 against Oman in the group stage, a knock that earned him the Player of the Match award.

In T20Is, Sanju Samson has scored 930 runs in 47 matches at a strike rate of 148.32. He has also hit three centuries and just as many fifties in the 20-over format for India.

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