NEW DELHI: Sanju Samson, who was named Player of the Tournament in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, recently spoke about his journey after India’s historic title win. The wicketkeeper-batter played a crucial role in the tournament, scoring 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate close to 200. His performances included several match-winning knocks as India went on to lift the trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad after defeating the New Zealand national cricket team in the final.
Long relationship with Gautam Gambhir
While speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram, Samson talked about his long-standing bond with India head coach Gautam Gambhir. According to him, their connection goes back many years to when he played for Kolkata Knight Riders.“Gauti bhai (Gautam Gambhir) and I have a very old relationship. I think I met him when I was in KKR. He was the captain of the team and he also lives in Delhi. I also played in the same academy where he was…so it’s a very long relationship and what has happened from there till now, I think cannot be expressed in words,” he told PTI.Samson’s impressive run in the tournament also helped him surpass Virat Kohli’s record of 319 runs in a single T20 World Cup edition by an Indian, which Kohli had set in 2014.
Emotional message from Sachin Tendulkar
The 31-year-old also shared that he received a special message from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar after India’s victory.“I got a message from Sachin, sir. It was a very emotional message for me,” said Samson.India’s triumph was historic, as the India national cricket team became the first side to win three T20 World Cup titles and also the first team to successfully defend the trophy on home soil.
Sanju Samson reflects on his journey
Samson described his comeback in the tournament as one of the most memorable phases of his career. After facing inconsistency and spending time on the bench earlier, he emerged as India’s top performer when it mattered the most, delivering key innings from the Super Eight stage against the West Indies national cricket team to the final.Reflecting on his approach to the game, Samson said he always focuses on being true to himself and playing for the team.“I never wanted to be selfless. I’ve always wanted to be myself. So I bring a lot of different qualities, a lot of strengths, a lot of weaknesses. I like to look at cricket as a team sport. So I think we play to win. And looking at what things have happened in my life lately, I definitely carry a lot of dreams with me. So a lot of youngsters, a lot of people, not even in cricket, a lot of people in different careers, they look at me like their own careers, like their own life,” Samson concluded.
