3 min readUpdated: Mar 2, 2026 11:10 AM IST
India head coach Gautam Gambhir said that the team always had faith in Sanju Samson even when the latter got stuck in a bit of a rut in the matches leading up to the T20 World Cup and during the tournament itself before his match-winning innings against the West Indies on Sunday. Samson struck an unbeaten 97 in 50 balls in the Super Eights, thus helping India pull off a record chase and seal a spot for themselves in the semifinals.
“Obviously he had a tough series against New Zealand, so sometimes it’s important to give him a break as well, because you want to get the guy off that pressure situation as well. And we always knew that whenever we needed him in the World Cup game, he’ll come and deliver it for us,” Gambhir told reporters after the match.
Samson had been earmarked as India’s first-choice opener and wicketkeeper back when they had announced the squad for the tournament in December, pipping the team’s then-vice-captain Shubman Gill at the top of the order. However, then came a string of low scores in India’s five-match series against New Zealand, coupled with wicketkeeper-batter Ishan Kishan hitting top form.
Sanju Samson broke Virat Kohli’s record for highest score by an Indian in a run-chase of a T20 World Cup match. (Express Photo by Partha Paul)
This led to India having a rethink about Samson’s role and Kishan ended up taking his opening spot with Abhishek Sharma and wicketkeepers’ gloves as well. Samson did play two matches in the tournament, first stepping in for the hospitalised Abhishek in their group-stage match against Namibia and then in the Super Eights against Zimbabwe, which was the match in which India bounced back after their heavy defeat against South Africa.
The match on Sunday was a virtual knockout with both sides in with a chance of reaching the last four had they won it. West Indies batted first and set up a mammoth target of 196 for India to chase. It was India’s highest succesfull in their T20 World Cup history and Samson himself broke Virat Kohli’s record for highest score by a player from the country in a run chase in the tournament. He hit 12 fours and four sixes in the innings and Gambhir was impressed by the control that Samson exhibited throughout the knock.
“I actually felt that he never accelerated the innings,” Gambhir said. “It was just very normal cricketing shots and I never saw him muscling the ball as well. That is the kind of talent he has.”
Story continues below this ad
“He’s a world class player, we all know how good a player Sanju is,” Gambhir told reporters after the game. “It was all about backing him. When the team needed him the most – obviously today was the day – he showed his full potential.”
