Sanju Samson emerged as one of the biggest stars of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 after playing a decisive role in India’s title-winning campaign. The wicketkeeper-batter was named the Player of the Tournament after scoring 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37.
Samson’s performances peaked in the knockout stage. He scored 97 against West Indies, 89 against England in the semi-final, and 89 off 46 balls in the final against New Zealand, registering three consecutive 50-plus scores and powering India to the title.
India eventually defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final, scoring 255/5 before bowling the opposition out for 159, sealing the country’s third T20 World Cup title.
However, Samson’s heroics in the World Cup came after a difficult phase earlier in the season, including a disappointing T20I series against New Zealand. After the final, Samson revealed that conversations with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar played a major role in his comeback.
Sachin Tendulkar’s guidance behind the turnaround
Before the World Cup, Samson admitted that the T20I series against New Zealand had left him mentally shattered. “Right after the New Zealand series, I was broken. I was completely out of my mind. I was like, okay, my dreams have shattered. Okay, what else can I do?” Samson said.
Despite the setback, the Indian batter said things changed when he returned during crucial matches and contributed to the team. “But God had different plans. I suddenly came back into the crucial games and I did what I could for my country. So, I’m very proud and very happy that I was courageous enough to dream about it,” he added.
Samson revealed that constant interaction with Sachin Tendulkar helped him rebuild his mindset and approach to the game.
“To be very honest, a lot of guidance and suggestions from our senior players in the former Indian team have really reached out to me and they tried to help me out. I hope I can share it here. I have been in constant touch with Sachin Tendulkar sir,” Samson said.
He explained that he reached out to Tendulkar while sitting out during a tour of Australia. “When I was outside, sitting outside in Australia, I was not playing a game. So, I thought about what mindset was required at that moment. So, I reached out to sir and I had huge, big conversations with him,” Samson said.
Samson describes success as a surreal moment
Reflecting on his recent performances, Samson said the experience still felt unreal. “It feels like a dream, actually (smiles). Very, very happy, very grateful. Out of words, out of emotions. I’m just going through it, so it feels a bit surreal,” Samson said.
The Indian batter explained that the journey to this moment had started earlier, when he was part of India’s squad during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 but did not get a chance to play a single match. “To be very honest, I think, sir, this started one to two years before. When I was with the 2024 World Cup-winning team in West Indies, I couldn’t play a game. I kept on visualizing. I kept on dreaming. I kept on working. This is exactly what I wanted to do then,” he said.
Samson added that the period without opportunities pushed him to prepare harder and build the mindset required for big moments. “I thought I needed to work more. I needed to put in so much work that this is exactly what I wanted to achieve. And by God’s grace, I think today things have turned around,” he said.
After playing a key role in India’s historic triumph and winning the Player of the Tournament award, Samson said he wants to enjoy the moment before setting future goals. “I think this itself is very big for me. I need to enjoy it right now. And then I think after a few days, we’ll figure out what to do next,” he said with a smile.
– Magizh
