New Delhi: Sanju Samsonwho was adjudged the player of the tournament at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, recently spoke about his journey after India’s historic title win. The wicketkeeper-batsman played an important role in the tournament, scoring 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of around 200. His performance included several match-winning knocks as India lifted the trophy at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad after defeating the New Zealand national cricket team in the final.
Long association with Gautam Gambhir
Speaking to the media in Thiruvananthapuram, Samson spoke about his long-standing relationship with India head coach Gautam Gambhir. According to him, their relationship goes back many years when he played for Kolkata Knight Riders.“Gutibhai (Gautham Gambhir) and I have a very old relationship. I think I met him when I was in KKR, he was the captain of the team and he also lives in Delhi. I also played in the same academy where he was… So it’s a long relationship and what has happened since then, I think cannot be described in words,” he told PTI.Samson’s impressive run in the tournament also helped him surpass Virat Kohli’s record of 319 runs in an Indian T20 World Cup edition, which was set by Kohli in 2014.
An emotional message from Sachin Tendulkar
The 31-year-old also shared that he received a special message from cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar after India’s win.“I got a message from Sachin sir, it was a very emotional message for me,” Samson said.India’s victory was historic, as Indian national cricket team Became the first team to win three T20 World Cup titles and also became the first team to successfully defend the trophy on home soil.
Sanju Samson reflects on his journey.
Samson described his return to the tournament as one of the most memorable stages of his career. Having previously faced inconsistency and spent time on the bench, he emerged as India’s top performer when it mattered most, playing a crucial innings against the West Indies national cricket team from the Super Eight stage to the final.Reflecting on his approach to the game, Samson said he always focuses on being true to himself and playing for the team.“I never wanted to be selfless. I always wanted to be myself. So I bring a lot of different qualities, a lot of strengths, a lot of weaknesses. I like to see cricket as a team game, so I think we play to win. And looking at what’s happened in my life recently, I definitely carry a lot of dreams with me. So a lot of young people, different people in cricket, don’t even care about different people. “Treat me like their own careers, like their own lives,” Samson concluded.
