Sanju lands in Thiruvananthapuram with Team India for his first ‘home T20I’

India and New Zealand teams arrived in Thiruvananthapuram on Thursday for the fifth and final T20I to be held at the Greenfield Stadium at Karyavattom on January 31.

Captain Suryakumar Yadav had a fun moment at the arrival as he momentarily mimicked a security personnel by making way for Sanju Samson, who was right behind him.

Sanju is a fan favourite across Kerala, especially in his hometown, Thiruvananthapuram. The loud cheers from an impressive crowd that was present to greet the players at the airport proved how much he is loved in this part of the world. The New Zealand squad also landed in the city on the same day.

Thiruvananthapuram is hosting a men's T20I after November 2023. In December, the venue hosted three women's T20Is between India and Sri Lanka.

Team India arrived in Thiruvananthapuram without the worry of fighting for a series, which is already secured. India lead the five-match series 3-1, having won the first three T20Is. New Zealand secured a 50-run win in the fourth match at Visakhapatnam.

However, for Sanju, the match holds great significance, as he has struggled for runs in the series, scoring 10, 6, 0, and 24. With the T20 World Cup set to begin next month, the January 31st match is Sanju's last chance to make it to the squad.

The wicketkeeper batter has yet to play an international fixture in Thiruvananthapuram. Though he was part of the India squad that played against the West Indies in December 2019, he did not participate in the Thiruvananthapuram T20I.