As welcome parties go, it was a little surreal. But such is the way of the world at the moment.
When Rajasthan Royals arrived at the team hotel – their home for the ensuing 80 days – in Dubai last week, they alighted the bus and were afforded the red carpet treatment.
One by one, an MC announced the entrance of each of the players.
Hotel staff, the other side of a velvet rope, cheered and applauded, and the players were showered with rose petals.
Then they had to have their luggage fumigated and put into storage for the next six hours.
All the while, each of them was wearing a pink, team-issue facemask, plus white PPE overalls.
Fair to say, this was a world away from the last time Sanju Samson played in a major tournament in this country.
There were no charter flights or hazmat back then. No social distancing or nasal swabs.
Nor any real celebrity of which to speak, either. Back in 2014, Samson was an aspiring player for the India side who won the Under 19 Asia Cup in the UAE, then crashed out at the quarter-final stage of the subsequent World Cup.
He was highly regarded, for sure. But still some way from being a fully-fledged star.
He knew it, too. Even though he had played a season of IPL cricket already by that point, he had an alternative career in mind.
"I wanted to be an [Indian Police Service] officer, and I was very passionate about that at that point of time," Samson, 25, told The National.
“Then I realised I had been given a great talent in cricket and that I should give my maximum effort and time towards cricket until I stop playing.”
Samson’s interest in the police was inspired by his father, Viswanath, who had been a constable in Delhi.
As a footballer of some repute, Samson Sr also passed on a passion for that sport to his son.
While India U19’s Class of 2014 all wore yellow Nike rucksacks that were part of the team’s casual uniform, Samson instead mooched around with a Barcelona bag on his back.
That, too, has lapsed in inverse proportion to his cricket career. While Lionel Messi was once his sporting hero, Samson is now unfazed by his imminent departure from Barca.
“I was a very big fan of them at that point in time, and used to watch all of their games,” Samson said.
“I have lost that now, and don’t follow football so much. There’s definitely better footballers than me in the Rajasthan Royals team.
“Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler especially, but a few of us Indian guys like playing football as well. There are a lot of good football players here.”
Samson is one of three graduates from the 2014 India U19 side who have gone on to full India honours, as well as IPL stardom. The others are Kuldeep Yadav, the Kolkata Knight Riders spinner, and Shreyas Iyer, the Delhi Capitals captain.
“Me, Kuldeep and Shreyas Iyer have played for India so far, but it’s not like the other players have not made it,” Samson said.
“I think they are on the same journey at the moment. Some people take some time to reach there, and others do it early.
“We are in touch with everyone. When you are 17, 18, 19, those days are the best times, playing cricket with your good mates.
“I was with that team for two to three years, and I made some really special friendships.”
While life may be very different to what it was back then, wicketkeeper-batsmanSamson is confident he will be able to draw on the experiences of six years ago when the IPL gets underway on the fields of the UAE.
He says memories of the pitch characteristics and the dimensions of the fields remain fresh. Unlike back then, he no longer has his police exam revision with him.
Now he is a student of cricket instead, and he says he has some great teachers around him with the Royals.
“We have had the likes of Stokes, Buttler, [Steve] Smith and [Jofra] Archer for the past two years,” Samson said.
“I think that is what IPL gives you. It has given me an opportunity because all the best players from around the world come to talk to you.
“We get a chance to mingle with them, and understand what we need to do to play at the international level.
“It has helped them, and it has helped us also. We have been very lucky to have all these guys. All the international players in our team are gun players.
“They are good human beings as well. It means you have to be a good person to and interact with them as well.
“Everyone has been very open as well, and has always put the team first instead of their individual performance.”
BLACKBERRY
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Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
How to help
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
Three ways to boost your credit score
Marwan Lutfi says the core fundamentals that drive better payment behaviour and can improve your credit score are:
1. Make sure you make your payments on time;
2. Limit the number of products you borrow on: the more loans and credit cards you have, the more it will affect your credit score;
3. Don't max out all your debts: how much you maximise those credit facilities will have an impact. If you have five credit cards and utilise 90 per cent of that credit, it will negatively affect your score.
The Vile
Starring: Bdoor Mohammad, Jasem Alkharraz, Iman Tarik, Sarah Taibah
Director: Majid Al Ansari
Rating: 4/5
What is Reform?
Reform is a right-wing, populist party led by Nigel Farage, a former MEP who won a seat in the House of Commons last year at his eighth attempt and a prominent figure in the campaign for the UK to leave the European Union.
It was founded in 2018 and originally called the Brexit Party.
Many of its members previously belonged to UKIP or the mainstream Conservatives.
After Brexit took place, the party focused on the reformation of British democracy.
Former Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson became its first MP after defecting in March 2024.
The party gained support from Elon Musk, and had hoped the tech billionaire would make a £100m donation. However, Mr Musk changed his mind and called for Mr Farage to step down as leader in a row involving the US tycoon's support for far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson who is in prison for contempt of court.
Ammar 808:
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Sofyann Ben Youssef
Glitterbeat
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THE BIO
Ms Al Ameri likes the variety of her job, and the daily environmental challenges she is presented with.
Regular contact with wildlife is the most appealing part of her role at the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.
She loves to explore new destinations and lives by her motto of being a voice in the world, and not an echo.
She is the youngest of three children, and has a brother and sister.
Her favourite book, Moby Dick by Herman Melville helped inspire her towards a career exploring the natural world.
Who has lived at The Bishops Avenue?
- George Sainsbury of the supermarket dynasty, sugar magnate William Park Lyle and actress Dame Gracie Fields were residents in the 1930s when the street was only known as ‘Millionaires’ Row’.
- Then came the international super rich, including the last king of Greece, Constantine II, the Sultan of Brunei and Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal who was at one point ranked the third richest person in the world.
- Turkish tycoon Halis Torprak sold his mansion for £50m in 2008 after spending just two days there. The House of Saud sold 10 properties on the road in 2013 for almost £80m.
- Other residents have included Iraqi businessman Nemir Kirdar, singer Ariana Grande, holiday camp impresario Sir Billy Butlin, businessman Asil Nadir, Paul McCartney’s former wife Heather Mills.
Hunting park to luxury living
- Land was originally the Bishop of London's hunting park, hence the name
- The road was laid out in the mid 19th Century, meandering through woodland and farmland
- Its earliest houses at the turn of the 20th Century were substantial detached properties with extensive grounds
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
500 People from Gaza enter France
115 Special programme for artists
25 Evacuation of injured and sick
Abu Dhabi World Pro 2019 remaining schedule:
Wednesday April 24: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-6pm
Thursday April 25: Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship, 11am-5pm
Friday April 26: Finals, 3-6pm
Saturday April 27: Awards ceremony, 4pm and 8pm
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
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GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Skoda Superb Specs
Engine: 2-litre TSI petrol
Power: 190hp
Torque: 320Nm
Price: From Dh147,000
Available: Now
What the law says
Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.
“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.
“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”
If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.
Top 10 most polluted cities
- Bhiwadi, India
- Ghaziabad, India
- Hotan, China
- Delhi, India
- Jaunpur, India
- Faisalabad, Pakistan
- Noida, India
- Bahawalpur, Pakistan
- Peshawar, Pakistan
- Bagpat, India
Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
