Sanju Samson played a pivotal role in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph, emerging as a standout performer despite facing early setbacks. Initially dropped from the playing XI due to a dip in form, he regained his position and ultimately was named ‘Player of the Tournament’.
In a recent interview, Suryakumar Yadav, India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain, discussed the challenges he faced when informing Samson of his exclusion from the squad. Yadav expressed surprise at Samson’s reaction to the news, highlighting the player’s resilience and ability to bounce back under pressure.
We went to Sri Lanka in 2024, and he did not score a lot of runs there. Samson returned to India’s playing XI during the Super 8 stage and never looked back. He slammed 97* in India’s must-win match against West Indies, and then followed it up with two scores of 89 in the semi-final and final.
Because i knew that he was a good person, “That was my toughest call.
I told him I had confidence in him and that the coach had shown it as well. I assured him that he would play the next seven matches, and even if he scored seven ducks, he would still play the eighth,” Suryakumar said. Samson’s poor run of form in India’s five-match series against New Zealand ahead of the World Cup led to him being dropped for Ishan Kishan . He asked me what he should do. We were playing the Duleep Trophy in Anantapur.
He told me just one thing: do whatever you feel is right to make this team win the World Cup,” Suryakumar revealed, in an interview with former India cricketer Aakash Chopra . Suryakumar – who incidentally was dropped from the squad himself after the T20 World Cup triumph – further revealed how he’d promised to back Samson in the past.
“We were on the bus, and I told him that it was going to be difficult with how it was going. “He said he is there whenever I need him, and he will prepare as if he was going to play. I gained a lot of confidence hearing that. Aise bhi log hote hain life mein (There are people like this too),” the former India captain shared.
