Sanju Samson, initially left out of India’s playing XI in the T20 World Cup 2026, has emerged as a crucial match-winner with two vital knocks. A pep talk from former captain Rohit Sharma boosted his confidence, fuelling a remarkable comeback. His stellar performances have also earned him a Player of the Tournament nomination.
Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026 Final between India and New Zealand, Sanju Samson’s name has been buzzing like never before following his match-winning knocks in the tournament. Samson’s place in the playing XI was uncertain ahead of the marquee event, but things have changed for the Kerala cricketer after he made the most of his opportunity with two crucial knocks in the tournament.
With just two career-defining knocks - 97* in a must-win Super 8 clash against the West Indies at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens Stadium and 89 in the semifinal against England, Sanju Samson has emerged as one of the key players for the highly anticipated title clash against New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
When a player was not considered an ‘x-factor’ before the marquee event, Samson has now turned into one of India’s biggest match-winners in the tournament. Additionally, Sanju Samson is the only Indian player to be nominated for the Player of the Tournament, underlining his remarkable impact in India’s run to the final.
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Rohit Sharma’s, Pep Talk That Fuelled Samson’s Comeback
Behind two crucial and match-winning knocks, which earned him Player of the Match awards, there was former Team India captain Rohit Sharma, whose words of encouragement played a key role in Sanju Samson’s turnaround.
Following a forgettable T20I series against New Zealand, where he scored just 46 runs at an average of 9.2 in five matches, Samson’s place in the playing XI was put to serious doubt ahead of the tournament. Team India management backed Ishan Kishan to open alongside Abhishek Sharma, and Samson was left out of the side for the opening match against the United States of America (USA) in Mumbai.
Ahead of the USA clash, Rohit Sharma, the brand ambassador of the T20 World Cup 2026, met the India squad and had a small pep talk with Samson, urging him not to be disheartened by his recent struggles and to stay ready for the opportunity when it arrived.
“Don't be disheartened. It is a long tournament. You'll get your chance. The opportunity can come anytime,” Rohit told Samson.
A small pep talk from the former India captain appeared to be enough for Sanju Samson to instill confidence and make the most of the opportunity when it finally came his way. In the following match against Namibia, Samson made his World Cup debut after Abhishek Sharma was ruled out of the clash due to a stomach infection and scored a quickfire 22 off 8 balls, including three sixes and a four, at a strike rate of 275.
Thereafter, Samson featured in a Super 8 match against Zimbabwe, where he scored 24 off 15 balls, including two sixes and a four, at a strike rate of 160. These two brief but impactful knocks were enough for the team management to restore Samson’s confidence and cement his place in the playing XI for the crucial Super 8 and knockout matches.
Understanding Pulse of the Player
Rohit Sharma’s pep talk to Sanju Samson was not merely a motivational gesture but a thorough effort to understand the batter’s mindset and boost his confidence in the crucial stage of the tournament.
Speaking about why he reached out to Samson, Rohit stated that he understands the ‘pulse of the player’ while recalling his own experiences of being sidelined in major tournaments, especially the 2011 ODI World Cup, and wanted to ensure that the batter stayed focused during the tournament.
“I can sometimes feel the pulse of the player. I have been myself in that place where, you know, when I've been in a tournament like this, and my chances haven't come, it's important to stay focused and try and do the right things and not get frustrated with you not getting the opportunity, and that's what I felt with him,” former India captain said in a video posted by ICC on Instagram.
Sanju Samson’s two back-to-back match-winning performances pushed him to become India’s third leading run-getter of the tournament with 232 runs, including two fifties, at an average of 77.33 and an astonishing strike rate of 201.73 in four matches.
Samson’s strike rate is the second-highest with a minimum of 100 runs in the ongoing edition of the T20 World Cup.
‘Funny Things Have Happened in the Past’
Sanju Samson’s comeback after not being considered for the playing XI initially in the tournament has become the talk of the town. Rohit Sharma acknowledged the fact that the Kerala cricketer was consistently performing well before being unexpectedly left out of the lineup, and he wanted to reassure Samson that his chance to shine would come.
“Because he was consistently playing for India and then was dropped just before the World Cup started, you know, I just wanted to tell him that it's a long tournament and funny things have happened in the past, so I just wanted to reassure him that your chance would come,” the T20 World Cup-winning captain added.
“So it happened in the game where it was a crucial game for India, and he played a blinder,” he concluded.
Sanju Samson was part of India’s squad that won the T20 World Cup in 2024 under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, but didn’t get a single match. Now, Samson has turned the tables in the 2026 edition, emerging as one of India’s most impactful players with two crucial match-winning knocks and a vital role in the team’s journey to the final.
