A stylish right-hander, Samuels has been hailed by many as the future of cricket in the Caribbean.
He was still a teenager when he was called in as a replacement for the injured Shivnarine Chanderpaul in Adelaide for his first taste of Test cricket against a rampant Australian attack.
His Test debut might have come before he had played a first class game for Jamaica, but the young star had already shined in youth and one-day cricket.
He was recognised as one of the players who stood out in the West Indies youth team that took part in the 2000 World Cup in Sri Lanka and scored 57 against Australia at Melbourne the following year.
It looked as if he may have missed his senior World Cup chance when he did not figure in 2002 until the penultimate series of the year.
But he timed his run into the team to perfection, scoring a 50 in his comeback match and notching a first one-day ton in the same series.
The graceful stroke-maker is also a handy off-spinner who is capable of turning his arm over for a couple of overs.
{{/usCountry}}The graceful stroke-maker is also a handy off-spinner who is capable of turning his arm over for a couple of overs.
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