Kerala state

T20 World Cup: Struggling to break into Delhi's competitive cricket circuit, flamboyant India batter Sanju Samson on Saturday revealed how a sudden, life-changing decision was made by his father Viswanathan to shift the entire family to Kerala, which later turned out to be the turning point of his eventual cricketing career.

Samson had a breakthrough time by hitting three consecutive fifties to take India to T20 World Cup glory at home earlier this year and became Player of the Tournament. But Samson hasn’t been at his best of late – making five and zero in the series defeat to Ireland and posting just one in the abandoned T20I against England in Durham.

Samson, though, will be backed to find his rhythm when India take on England in the second T20I at Old Trafford on Saturday. "Back in school, I used to see friends wear the DDCA jacket and talk about playing for the state cricket team of Delhi. That motivated me. I wanted to represent Delhi too. I went for trials, attended state camps, and scored runs.