Was Samson’s career on the line? Gambhir praises Sanju for showing character, courage in India’s T20 triumph

Sanju Samson admitted feeling broke and clueless about his India career after a miserable New Zealand T20I series just before the World Cup; however, conversations with seniors, including legendary Sachin Tendulkar, helped him stay focused, which eventually reaped rewards. Samson finished as the third-highest run-scorer with 321 runs in five outings, including three match-winning scores: 97* (vs WI) and 89 twice against England and New Zealand in the semifinal and the final, respectively. Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir acknowledged Samson’s shot at redemption while revealing the opener’s uncertain future amid shallow form.

During the five-match T20Is against New Zealand at home, Samson scored just 46 runs, putting up a horrendous show with the bat. Those numbers jeopardised his place in the playing XI as the management opted for Ishan Kishan to replace him at the top for the showpiece event. However, as destiny had it, Abhishek’s poor run with the bat and Rinku Singh’s sudden absence during that time saw Samson returning to the scheme of things.
The coach and captain recalled him to the playing XI for India’s second Super 8 fixture, a change that escalated the team’s chances of defending its T20 crown.

Samson’s breakthrough moment came during the West Indies game in the virtual knockout, where his unbeaten 97 helped India complete their highest successful run chase and qualify for the semifinal. Against England in the marquee semis tie in Mumbai, Samson smashed a brilliant 89, powering India to 253 for seven in the first innings. After narrowly beating England by just seven runs in perhaps the match of the tournament, Samson eyed a blockbuster show in the summit clash to finish the T20 WC on a high.

‘Sanju is special’

Much to everyone’s excitement, he did so, whacking another masterful 89 against the Kiwis, his third successive fifty in this T20 World Cup. Gambhir, who sat on the sidelines and witnessed such carnage unfold on three different occasions, showered praises on the Player of the Tournament. While addressing a comparison in the post-match presser on whether Samson’s knocks reminded him of Yuvraj Singh’s 2011 World Cup showing, Gambhir said,

“Look, it's not fair to compare two people. I think Sanju, what he's done… see, again, Sanju did that three in a row, three in a row doing it and especially after coming back from the kind of form that he was in. You know, it takes so much of character and courage where you know that maybe your career is on the line,” the Indian coach said.

“Even if the captain and I can show as much faith, trust, everything in him, deep inside you know that obviously you didn't have a great series against New Zealand before the start of the World Cup, and then you didn't start on the playing level during the World Cup. Then making a comeback like that and playing those kinds of innings with that kind of, what, strike rate or with that kind of flamboyance… You need to have a special player, you need to be a special talent,” he continued.

While concluding his assessment on Samson, Gambhir said, “It was never about doubting his talent. He just had to go out there and be as free as he wanted to be. That is what he has shown to everyone. When you start believing in yourself, I think nothing matters to you apart from that.”