Ahmedabad: It takes a special kind of player to shine in the toughest times and Sanju Samson did that not once but thrice for India during the 2026 T20 World Cup. In the final Super 8s match against the West Indies, a virtual knockout game, he scored 97* off 50 balls. He followed that up with 89 (42) against England in the semi-finals, and then in the biggest game of them all, 89 (46) against New Zealand in the final.
It’s easy to say that he always had the talent but only Sanju knows how difficult his journey has been.
“I think right after the New Zealand series, I was broke. I was completely out of my mind. I was like, okay, my dreams have shattered,” said Sanju after being named Player of the Tournament. “(I thought) Okay, what else can I do? But God had different plans. I think I suddenly came back into the crucial games and I did what I could for my country.”
So what really helped Sanju get back on track?
“To be very honest, a lot of guidance and suggestions from our senior players,” said Sanju. “I have been in constant touch with Sachin Tendulkar sir. I think when I was outside, sitting outside in Australia, I was not playing a game. So, I thought, okay what is the mindset required now? So, I reached out to sir and I had huge, huge conversations with him. And even yesterday, he called me up to check how I was feeling. So, I think getting a guidance from someone like him, what more can I ask for?”
He added: “I think (he helped bring) that clarity, that game preparation, that game awareness, that game sense, I think I’m very grateful for everyone who supported me.”
And India is grateful he found himself just when the country needed him to.
