Saint Samson you revealed how Rohit SharmaThe reassuring words of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 initially failed to convince after being left out of India’s playing eleven in the latter stages of the tournament. However, the wicketkeeper batsman eventually regained his confidence and responded with one of the defining knocks of India’s campaign against the West Indies.After Samson endured a disappointing five-match T20I series against New Zealand heading into the World Cup, Rohit made it clear that the Kerala batsman still has an important role to play in India’s campaign.“Dukhi mat ho bhai. It’s a long tournament, kabhi bhi mauka aa sakta hai.” (“Don’t be upset bro. It’s a long tournament. You’ll get your chance. The opportunity can come anytime,” Rohit had told Samson as he hugged him.
“I didn’t believe Rohit at that time”
Reflecting on that difficult phase, Samson admitted that he was too disappointed to believe his captain’s words at the time.“To be honest, I didn’t believe him at that time. Sorry. He could have spoken from his heart or from his experience, but that day he wasn’t able to see what he saw. He could see it on my face; I was a little out that day,” Samson told JioStar.The Kerala batsman said the disappointment lingered even after India’s World Cup campaign began, making it difficult for him to move on immediately.“Our World Cup campaign started two days after the New Zealand series, and it takes me at least a week to recover. I don’t like to bottle things up, because it shows on my face if I don’t feel 100 percent. I went through that phase for four or five days before getting back on the track,” he added.
“I started to find myself”
Samson said the encounter turned into an opportunity for self-reflection, helping him reconnect with his purpose as a cricketer.“You know you’ve failed, so what’s next? I’m at the bottom, so from there, you can only go up. I started working on myself mentally. I started asking questions, why do I play cricket? What’s my purpose? It was like I found myself while the World Cup was going on. And then it all came back,” Samson said.
Redemption of Sanju Samson
Sanju Samson scripted one of the greatest redemption stories in T20 World Cup history, finishing as the Player of the Tournament as India lifted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on home soil. After initially missing out on the playing XI following a poor run of form, Samson fought his way back into the side and finished the tournament as India’s highest run-scorer and third highest overall, amassing 321 runs in just five matches at an outstanding average of 80.25 and a staggering strike rate of 199. He also hit a tournament record 24 sixes, the most by any batsman in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.