Sanju Samson played for India in Trivandrum during the fifth T20I against New Zealand. India captain Suryakumar Yadav excited the crowd by announcing, “Don’t worry Trivandrum, Sanju Samson is playing tonight.” The stadium was packed with eager fans. Kerala considers Samson its biggest cricket star, matching the fame of past sports icons like P.T. Usha and I.M. Vijayan. His childhood coach, Biju George, said Samson’s style is about moments of brilliance and not constant consistency. Fans across Trivandrum showed their love with huge banners, life-size cutouts, and even a ₹1.5 lakh cutout put next to former India captain M.S. Dhoni. Many supporters, including Mohammad Hisham from Dubai, traveled far to see Samson play live. The local economy also benefited with sales of caps, T-shirts, and jerseys featuring Samson’s name and face. Mr. George added, “People love Sanju because he is talented and stays humble, without controversies.” Before the match, fans cheered Samson wildly, shouting “Adichu thakarkeda innu” (Make runs today). Samson hit six runs off six balls, fueling the crowd’s unending support. This game in Trivandrum was a grand celebration of Kerala’s cricket hero.