Sanju Samson: Why Team India Picked Him Over Rinku Singh? 4 Solid Reasons!

Rinku Singh had to miss the India-Zimbabwe match after his father's passing. Sanju Samson got a chance but couldn't make it count. So why did the team stick with Sanju for the West Indies game, even when Rinku was back? Let's find out.

Image Credit : ANI

Sanju Samson defeated West Indies

Team India pulled off another fantastic win in the T20 World Cup 2026. After starting the Super 8 with a loss to South Africa, they ended it with a victory over West Indies. By beating Zimbabwe and West Indies back-to-back, the Indian team proudly marched into the semis without any net run rate drama. Rinku Singh stepping out and Sanju Samson stepping in proved to be a game-changer. Honestly, without Samson's fiery innings, a win against West Indies would have been next to impossible.

Image Credit : Getty

Why was Sanju played over Rinku Singh?

Rinku Singh had to sit out the Zimbabwe match after his father passed away. Sanju Samson got his spot but only managed 24 runs. Everyone thought Sanju would be dropped once Rinku returned for the West Indies game. But Captain Suryakumar Yadav and Coach Gautam Gambhir surprisingly gave him another shot. This big call turned out to be a match-winner for Team India. There were solid reasons behind keeping Sanju for the do-or-die match, from his powerplay batting to his killer record at Eden Gardens. He totally lived up to the trust placed in him.

Image Credit : ANI

Opening record..

Sanju Samson knows how to make an impact in the first few overs. He doesn't try to hit every ball for a boundary like Abhishek Sharma but still scores at a rapid pace. In his World Cup debut against Namibia, he smashed 22 runs off just 8 balls, with three sixes and a four. Then, in the Super 8 against Zimbabwe, he got 24 off 15 balls. Before the West Indies match, he had already scored 46 runs in the tournament at a 200 strike rate. Head Coach Gautam Gambhir even said an opener like Sanju is crucial to cash in on the powerplay. That's why they felt an opener like Sanju was more important than a finisher like Rinku for this match.

Image Credit : X/BCCI

Super wicket keeper..

Sanju's wicket-keeping skills are a huge plus. He was brilliant behind the stumps in the crucial Zimbabwe match, taking a fantastic one-handed diving catch to get Tashinga Musekiwa out. In his 59 international T20 matches, Sanju has taken 38 catches and made 7 stumpings. Compare that to Ishan Kishan, who has only 17 catches and 5 stumpings in 42 T20s. Sanju's sharp keeping gives the team an edge, and his superior skills over Ishan Kishan definitely worked in his favour.

Image Credit : ANI

Eden Gardens King Sanju...

Sanju has a fantastic record at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, the venue for the India vs West Indies clash. Before this game, the Kerala batsman had scored 332 runs in 11 innings here, at a brilliant strike rate of 141.2, including two half-centuries. This 'home ground' advantage was a big reason he was picked for the crucial match. And he proved why he's called the 'King of Eden Gardens' by smashing an unbeaten 97.

Image Credit : X/BCCI

Sanju's record in tackling spinners..

Sanju Samson also has a great track record against the West Indies' left-arm spinners. Before this match, their spinners were in top form: Gudakesh Motie had 10 wickets in 6 matches, and Akeal Hosein had 6 wickets in 5. But according to Cricmetric data, Sanju scores at a 150 strike rate against left-arm spinners, having made 429 runs. This ability to counter spin was a major factor in his selection. Just as the team hoped, Sanju took on the West Indies bowlers and led Team India to a spectacular victory.