Sanju Samson recalls Rohit Sharma's advice during 2026 T20 WC
What's the story
Sanju Samson has opened up about how former Indian captain Rohit Sharma's words of encouragement during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 didn't convince him at first. The wicketkeeper-batter was left out of India's playing XI in the initial stages of the tournament. However, he later regained his confidence and delivered a stellar performance against West Indies, one of the highlights of India's campaign.
Captain's words
What did Rohit tell Samson?
Ahead of the mega event, Samson struggled in a five-match T20I series against New Zealand.
However, Rohit reassured him that he would be an important part of India's campaign.
"Dukhi mat ho bhai. It is a long tournament, kabhi bhi mauka aa sakta hai," ("Don't be disheartened brother. It is a long tournament. You'll get your chance") Rohit had told Samson while embracing him.
Samson made this revelation in a conversation on JioHotStar.
Initial reaction
Didn't believe my captain's words at the time: Samson
Reflecting on that tough phase, Samson admitted he was too upset to believe his captain's words at the time.
"To be honest, I didn't believe him at that time. Sorry. He might have spoken from his heart or from his experience, but that day I wasn't able to see what he was seeing," Samson added.
The Kerala batter said the disappointment lingered even after India's World Cup campaign began, making it difficult for him to move on immediately.
Self-discovery
A phase of self-reflection
Samson said the setback eventually 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? You're at the bottom, so from there, you can only go up. I started working on myself mentally. I started asking myself questions, why do I play cricket? What's my purpose?" he said.
Redemption story
Redemption story for Samson
Samson scripted one of the greatest redemption stories in T20 World Cup history, finishing as the Player of the Tournament as India lifted the 2026 ICC Men's T20 World Cup on home soil.
After initially missing out on the playing XI following a lean run of form, Samson fought his way back into the side and ended the tournament as India's highest run-scorer and third-highest overall.
He scored 321 runs in just five matches at an outstanding average of 80.25 and a blistering strike rate of 199.37.
Samson smashed 80-plus scores in each of the three knock-out matches.