India, Jan. 30 -- Soon after the plane carrying the Indian team landed in Thiruvananthapuram, skipper Suryakumar Yadav, acting as a bodyguard, was spotted clearing the way for "Cheta (elder brother)" Sanju Samson. In a video that has since gone viral, Samson was clearly embarrassed but his fan following in Kerala is no joke.

In his home state, Samson is no less than a matinee idol and stepping outside the arrival gate showed what that meant as a horde of fans had lined up to welcome the team and expectedly the local hero drew the loudest cheers.

The 31-year-old was part of the India squad of the 2024 World Cup winning team but didn't get to play a single match. This time, he is the frontrunner for the role of keeper and opening batter a...