Sanju Samson, the wicketkeeper-batter for Team India, has discussed how Rohit Sharma’s words of encouragement during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 initially did not resonate with him. This conversation occurred after Samson was excluded from India’s playing XI during the later stages of the tournament. Despite his initial disappointment, Samson eventually regained his confidence, which led to a significant performance for India against the West Indies.
Samson had experienced a challenging five-match T20I series against New Zealand leading up to the World Cup. Following this period, Rohit Sharma conveyed to Samson that he still had an important role to play in India’s campaign. Rohit reportedly told Samson, “Dukhi mat ho bhai. It is a long tournament, kabhi bhi mauka aa sakta hai,” which translates to “Don’t be disheartened, brother. It is a long tournament. You’ll get your chance. The opportunity can come anytime.” This advice was given while Rohit embraced Samson.
Reflecting on this difficult time, Samson admitted that he was too disheartened to fully accept his captain’s words at that moment. He stated, “To be honest, I didn’t believe him at that time. Sorry. He might have spoken from his heart or from his experience, but that day I wasn’t able to see what he was seeing. You could see it on my face; I was a bit off that day.”
The disappointment lingered for the Kerala batter even after India’s World Cup campaign had begun, making it difficult for him to move past it immediately. Samson explained that India’s World Cup campaign commenced just two days after the New Zealand series, and it typically takes him at least a week to recover from such setbacks. He noted that he prefers not to suppress his feelings, so his emotional state is often visible if he is not feeling completely well. Samson mentioned going through this phase for four or five days before managing to get back on track.
Rediscovering Purpose and Performance
Samson viewed this setback as an opportunity for self-reflection, which helped him reconnect with his fundamental purpose as a cricketer. He questioned himself, asking, “You know you’ve failed, so what’s next? You’re at the bottom, so from there, you can only go up.” This period of introspection involved mentally working on himself and asking why he plays cricket and what his purpose was. He described it as a process of rediscovering himself while the World Cup was in progress, after which “everything just came back.”
Before the T20 World Cup 2026 began, Samson was aware that Ishan Kishan had moved ahead of him in the team’s pecking order. He acknowledged that he had been overdoing things and that his wife was right about the importance of being happy and in a good mental state, rather than just putting in countless hours of practice. The New Zealand series served as a learning experience for him.
Samson observed Kishan’s different trajectory, noting that Kishan was not even in the team initially but then almost single-handedly won the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy for Jharkhand. Kishan then joined the Indian team and was batting at a different level. Samson clearly saw Kishan moving above him in the pecking order.
He further elaborated on the situation, stating that if a player scores 24, 6, 6, 10, and 0 in five matches, and then another player comes in, scores around 70 runs immediately, and later gets a century in the series, that in-form batter would naturally be preferred for the next match, which was directly in the T20 World Cup. Samson felt it was clear that the World Cup seemed over for him at that point, and all he could do was quietly sit and applaud.
A Defining Knock and Tournament Success
Sanju Samson ultimately achieved one of the most notable redemption stories in T20 World Cup history. He finished the tournament as the Player of the Tournament as India secured the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on home soil. After initially being left out of the playing XI due to a lean patch, Samson fought his way back into the side. He concluded the tournament as India’s highest run-scorer and the third-highest overall, accumulating 321 runs in just five matches at an impressive average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37. He also hit a tournament-record 24 sixes, the most by any batter in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.
Samson’s match-winning innings of 96 not out against the West Indies in a Super 6 match was particularly crucial, serving as a virtual quarterfinal for Team India. He mentioned preparing much better for that game after the Zimbabwe match. Samson described it as one of those days when everything felt right, similar to times he had scored centuries in the IPL and for India. He enjoyed the moment and allowed things to happen automatically, knowing it was a very important game for India.
He typically shifts into a higher gear after the powerplay as an opener, planning to attack the bowling if he gets through the initial overs and the team bats deep. However, in that specific game, a wicket would fall at the other end every time he felt it was time to attack. This experience led him to realize that the game itself is the greatest teacher, guiding a player on what actions to take.
Samson’s remarkable turnaround included scores of 96 not out, 89, and 89 in India’s last three matches, which encompassed both the semifinal and the final, contributing significantly to India’s victory.
Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com
