Sam Curran


Samuel Matthew Curran is an English cricketer, who plays for Surrey and England. Curran is a left-handed batsman and left-arm medium-fast bowler. The International Cricket Council named Curran as one of the five breakout stars in men's cricket in 2018, and the 2019 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack chose him as one of their five Cricketers of the Year. In April 2019, he became the youngest bowler to take a hat-trick in an Indian Premier League match, at the age of 20.

Early life and education

Curran was born in Northampton, the youngest son of former Zimbabwe international cricketer Kevin Curran. He is the brother of Surrey and England cricketer Tom Curran, and Northamptonshire cricketer Ben Curran. He was educated at Springvale House, Marondera, St. George's College, Harare, and Wellington College, Berkshire. He grew up on the family farm in Rusape before the family left the farm during a period of land reform in 2004.

Domestic and T20 career

Curran represented Surrey at Under-15, Under-17, and Second XI level. During the 2014 season he represented Weybridge in the Surrey Championship Premier Division. He was described by Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart as "the best 17-year-old cricketer that I have seen".
Curran made his senior debut in a Twenty20 match in the NatWest t20 Blast tournament against Kent at The Oval on 19 June 2015, aged 17 years and 16 days. He made his first-class debut in a County Championship fixture against Kent at The Oval on 13 July 2015. At the age of 17 years and 40 days he became Surrey's second youngest first-class cricketer in history after Tony Lock, who debuted exactly 69 years earlier at the age of 17 years and 8 days, also against Kent at The Oval. He returned figures of 5/101 in the first innings, and is believed to be the youngest-ever player to take five wickets in a County Championship match. He made his List A debut in a Royal London One-Day Cup match against Northamptonshire at The Oval on Thursday 27 July 2015.
He was signed by Auckland Aces for the 2017–18 Super Smash. In December 2018, he was bought by the Kings XI Punjab in the player auction for the 2019 Indian Premier League for 7.20 crore Rupees. In March 2019, he was named as one of eight players to watch by the International Cricket Council ahead of the 2019 Indian Premier League tournament. In the 2019 Indian Premier League, he scored quickfire 20 runs as opener and took a hat-trick in his second match, against Delhi Capitals which helped Kings XI Punjab to win by 14 runs, earning him the player of the match award. He also scored a quick fifty of just 23 balls against Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2019 Indian Premier League. He was released by the Kings XI Punjab ahead of the 2020 IPL auction. In the 2020 IPL auction, he was bought by the Chennai Super Kings ahead of the 2020 Indian Premier League.

International career

Curran represented Zimbabwe Under-13s at the 2011–12 CSA Under-13 Week tournament.
He represented England Under-19s at the 2016 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup, where he played all six games, scoring 201 runs and taking seven wickets to help his team finish sixth. He was selected for the England Lions for their 2016–17 tour of the United Arab Emirates, and again for their match against South Africa A at Canterbury in the 2017 season.
Curran received his first senior call-up for England in January 2018 for the 2017-18 Trans-Tasman Tri-Series against Australia and New Zealand, but did not play any games.
On 30 May 2018 he was added to the England Test squad ahead of the second Test against Pakistan, as cover for Ben Stokes. He made his Test debut at Headingley on 1 June 2018. Curran scored 20 in England's only innings, and returned match figures of 2/43.
On 24 June 2018, he made his One Day International debut against Australia.
Curran retained his place in the England squad for the Test series against India. In the first Test at Edgbaston he took 4/74 in the first innings, including the wickets of India's top three batsmen, and scored 63 in England's second innings, and was awarded Player of the Match. After being omitted from the England team for the third Test, he returned in place of the injured Chris Woakes at the Rose Bowl, where he top scored in England's first innings with 78. Curran registered his first Test duck in the fifth Test at The Oval, but was named England's Player of the Series against India, having contributed 272 runs and 11 wickets in England's 4-1 series victory. He was named Cricket Writers' Club Young Cricketer of the Year for his performances in the 2018 season.
Curran played two Tests during England's tour of Sri Lanka in November 2018, scoring 112 runs at an average of 37.33, but only took a single wicket. He played in the final Test of England's home series against Australia in September 2019, taking three wickets in Australia's first innings. Later that month he was named in England's Test and Twenty20 International squads for their series against New Zealand. He made his T20I debut for England, against New Zealand, on 1 November 2019.
On 29 May 2020, Curran was named in a 55-man group of players to begin training ahead of international fixtures starting in England following the COVID-19 pandemic. On 17 June 2020, Curran was included in England's 30-man squad to start training behind closed doors for the Test series against the West Indies. On 4 July 2020, Curran was named as one of the nine reserve players for the first Test match of the series.