India scripted history by clinching the T20 World Cup title for the third time. Suryakumar Yadav and Co. defeated New Zealand by 96 runs in the final at the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad to lift the coveted trophy. With this triumph, India became the first team not only to defend the T20 World Cup title but also the first to win it three times. Among India’s standout performers, wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson played a pivotal role throughout the tournament and was deservedly named Player of the Tournament. Ishan Kishan also impressed fans with his explosive batting.
What makes Samson and Kishan’s performances even more remarkable is their journey back into the Indian team. Kishan, who had been sidelined by the selectors since 2023, earned a recall for the T20I series against New Zealand and made an immediate impact.
Samson, who had been battling a lean patch before the World Cup, stunned everyone by smashing three consecutive half-centuries during the tournament.
Reflecting on their successful comebacks, head coach Gautam Gambhir praised both players, calling their return a blessing for Indian cricket.
“It’s never easy to make a comeback. You’re far more nervous when making a comeback than when making a debut. His first ball against Jacob Duffy in Nagpur was smashed for four, and that shows the character of the man. It shows his fearlessness, ability, and character, and how quickly he has adopted a team-first philosophy,” Gambhir said at RevSportz’s Trailblazers 4.0 Conclave.
“Not because of the World Cup he has won, but because of the kind of character he is-that’s why Indian cricket is blessed to have phenomenal white-ball players like him and Samson,” he added.
With the T20 World Cup now concluded, both Kishan and Samson are gearing up for their IPL 2026 campaigns. Kishan is set to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the opening matches as regular captain Pat Cummins recovers from injury.
Samson, on the other hand, will feature for the five-time champions Chennai Super Kings in the upcoming season.
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