Shane Watson Ties Angkrish Raghuvanshi to Sanju Samson
Shane Watson says angkrish raghuvanshi is tracking like Sanju Samson, and the Kolkata Knight Riders coach did not hide how far the 21-year-old has come. Watson called Raghuvanshi’s skill development “honestly astonishing” and said the batter is only going to get better.
Watson’s Samson comparison
Watson made the comparison in a press conference, saying he had seen enough of Raghuvanshi’s game to think of Samson’s early rise. “I've been fortunate over the years to see some unbelievably talented young cricketers in the IPL,” he said. “I remember seeing Sanju Samson as a 17-year-old and being blown away by his skill level Angkrish is another one of those players.”
That is a strong line from someone who shared a dressing room with Samson at Rajasthan Royals in the wicketkeeper-batter’s younger days. Watson is now judging Raghuvanshi from inside the Kolkata setup, where the teenager has moved from promise to regular responsibility.
Raghuvanshi’s rise at KKR
Raghuvanshi played 10 matches in KKR’s victorious 2024 campaign, then finished as the team’s second highest scorer in 2025 with 300 runs. He was also KKR’s form player to start the 2026 season, which is why Watson’s praise lands as more than a casual compliment.
Watson said the 21-year-old is adapting to different conditions and bowlers while still keeping a wide range of shot options. He also pointed to what Raghuvanshi is doing behind the stumps after starting his IPL career as a pure batter.
Keeping wickets for KKR
“And now he's keeping wickets too, which makes it even more impressive because he wasn't originally a full-time keeper,” Watson said. “He's worked incredibly hard at it and done a brilliant job. The best keepers are the ones you barely notice because everything looks smooth - and he's done that beautifully.”
Watson added that Raghuvanshi was fairly error-free behind the wickets, even in training on a challenging surface. He finished by calling him “a highly skilled young man” who is “incredibly eager to learn and improve,” a profile KKR can lean on as it tries to finish strongly after a rough start to the IPL season this year.
