Kerala's cricketing icon Sanju Samson said he owes his success in both career and life to the Indian Premier League (IPL) team Rajasthan Royals, amid reports that the Royals captain is planning to leave the franchise before the next IPL season.

Sanju made the statement during an interview given to former Indian player Ravichandran Ashwin on the latter's YouTube channel. "The team has given me everything. Coming from a village in Kerala, I received numerous opportunities at Rajasthan Royals. Rahul Dravid Sir provided me with a stage to create good performances. They trusted me," Sanju said. 

The player told Ashwin that Rajasthan Royals is, literally, his world. "My journey with Rajasthan Royals has been grand. My career received not only a boost but also much more with the team," he added.

Incidentally, the interview came at a time when there are reports that Sanju may join Chennai Super Kings next season, while Ashwin has announced that he is willing to leave the franchise.

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Sanju also expressed his gratitude to India's current coach Gautam Gambhir for his support and inspiration in making some big scores for the national T20 team. "I was dejected after being dismissed without scoring in two T20 games against Sri Lanka. When Gautam Bhai asked me about it, I told him that I couldn't utilise the opportunities I received. He replied, 'I will drop you from the team only when you are out for zero 21 times.' Those words inspired me to create big scores, including centuries," Sanju said.

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