Sanju Samson revealed that his stunning turnaround with the bat in the T20 World Cup was made possible only by the guidance from the legendary Sachin Tendulkar, who came to his rescue during a rough patch in his career.
India dropped teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi despite his impressive Asian Games run, preferring Sanju Samson as Gautam Gambhir backed experience and resisted pressure to alter the winning combination.
India head coach Gautam Gambhir revealed that dropping Sanju Samson from the England tour was his toughest decision, despite Samson being the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup. Gambhir explained that while Samson was temporarily replaced by Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, the team prioritised returning to their established World Cup-winning combination. He also addressed the issue of player injuries and the challenge of Shubman Gill not having a full-strength team, emphasising the importance of long-term performance and providing opportunities for new talent.
'Delighted to hear from Sri Lanka that @IamSanjuSamson has recovered from his strained knee ligament and that Thiruvananthapuram's finest will again be available for India! All the best, Sanju!'
Sanju Samson defended India's bowlers after their 24-run defeat to the West Indies in the fourth T20, which levelled the series 2-2. He attributed the loss to Tilak Varma's dismissal as a turning point and praised Shai Hope's match-winning century. Samson also discussed the challenging conditions in Hyderabad and the need for emerging pacers to gain experience.
AB de Villiers shared insights on Sanju Samson's inclusion
Sanju Samson continued his superb form with the bat, smashing a blistering 67 off 33 balls to power India to their highest chase in T20 cricket, overcoming a mid-innings stumble for a four-wicket win in the series-opener against New Zealand.
Cricketer Sanju Samson posted a beautiful message to announce his marriage.
The mysterious omissions of the talented Samson led to banners in the Kerala cricketer's support at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar no less.
Harry Brook dropped Sanju Samson on 15 in the third over of the Indian innings and the missed opportunity had a big impact on the outcome of the T20 World Cup semi-final.
Sanju Samson smashed a quick 57 as India beat Afghanistan by seven wickets to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series.
Shai Hope's explosive 45-ball century led the West Indies to a six-wicket win over India after they chased down 250 in 18.3 overs to level the five-match T20I series 1-1.
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson has been fined 30 per cent of his match fees for breaching the IPL Code of Conduct during his side's 20-run loss to Delhi Capitals at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi.
Who do you think should be part of India's playing XI for the must-win match against Zimbabwe on Thursday?
Keemo Paul's exceptional five-wicket haul led the West Indies to a 24-run victory over India in the fourth T20 International in Hyderabad. This win, built on Shai Hope's unbeaten century, levels the five-match series at 2-2, setting up a decider in Bengaluru. India's chase, despite a strong start from Sanju Samson, faltered against Paul's decisive bowling.
Shai Hope's unbeaten 102 and Keemo Paul's five-wicket haul led West Indies to a 24-run victory over India, levelling the five-match T20I series at 2-2.
Former Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan has lauded Sanju Samson's current form, particularly after his match-winning innings for Chennai Super Kings against Delhi Capitals in the Indian Premier League. Pathan highlighted Samson's game awareness and ability to finish matches under pressure.
Former India cricketer Vivek Razdan has shared his preferred batting lineup for India's first T20I against Afghanistan, advocating for Shreyas Iyer to retain his number four spot and Sanju Samson to open the innings. Razdan emphasized performance over the left-right batting combination, highlighting Samson's recent T20 form. The series opener will also see a selection dilemma with multiple openers available and marks Iyer's first home series as captain.
Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer has assured young talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi that opportunities will come if he remains consistent, while also reflecting on India's high-scoring T20I series against West Indies, which ended in a 2-2 draw.
Sanju Samson, then a skinny 14-year-old, curled on the bed in his hotel room, watched Kolkata Knight Riders' Brendon McCullum hammering a 73-ball 158 against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the first-ever IPL match.
India's T20 captain Shreyas Iyer stated that young batting talent Vaibhav Sooryavanshi cannot immediately join the playing XI due to the consistent performance of current openers Abhishek Sharma and Sanju Samson, who were instrumental in India's T20I World Cup win.
Shreyas Iyer has climbed to a career-high fourth position in the ICC T20 International rankings for batters, following his strong performance in the ongoing series against West Indies
Samson will make way for regular keeper-batter Rishabh Pant when the Asia Cup begins in the UAE.
India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has opened up about his challenging decision to leave Rajasthan Royals after over a decade, citing his strong bond with MS Dhoni and Ruturaj Gaikwad as a key factor in his smooth transition to Chennai Super Kings.
Kerala batsman Sanju Samson, who has played one Twenty20 match for India, is facing disciplinary action from the state cricket association for allegedly violating the code of conduct during the team's recent Ranji Trophy match against Goa.
Piyush Chawla and Irfan Pathan say Sanju Samson could transform Chennai Super Kings in the IPL 2026 season as the team aims for a record sixth title under captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Sanju Samson laments 'one-hit' defeat
When the script of the match was leading towards a sad ending for his team, Sanju Samson played that unhurried knock, exactly what was needed at that moment.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer lauded all-rounder Naman Dhir for his crucial role in India's record-breaking 226-run chase against New Zealand in the first T20I. Iyer highlighted Dhir's versatility and calm demeanour under pressure. Sanju Samson's explosive start and the team's adaptation to changing pitch conditions were also key factors in India's highest-ever T20 chase.
Sanju Samson made an unbeaten 86 in a losing cause in Lucknow.
India's bowling coach Morne Morkel has indicated that the team management will continue to back openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma, despite the impressive performance of teen sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Morkel stressed the importance of showing faith in established players who have performed well previously, while also acknowledging the excitement around new talents like Sooryavanshi and pacer Prince Yadav.
Indian skipper Shreyas Iyer's inconsistent T20I batting form will be under the spotlight as Team India commences its five-match T20I series against New Zealand in Christchurch.
Which batter stole the show in Lucknow? VOTE!
'He is explosive, dangerous, and capable of shots like these. Where do you even bowl to him?'
Former India wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel says Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's selection over Sanju Samson was an emotional decision, questioning why the T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament continues to miss out.
Abhishek Sharma etched his name in cricket history by smashing the fastest T20 International hundred by an Indian, a blistering 30-ball century against Afghanistan before the hosts won the match by 127 runs to sweep the series.
India captain Shreyas Iyer attributed his side's stunning six-wicket defeat against the West Indies in the second T20 International to the dew factor and the almost non-existent margin for error on the pitch, despite India posting a formidable 249 for five.
Sanju Samson praises his opening partner Abhishek Sharma, highlighting their explosive partnership and the Kerala-Punjabi friendship that underpins their success after India's T20 World Cup victory.
Former India opener Wasim Jaffer has criticised the Indian cricket team's selection policy, particularly regarding the T20I debuts of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the inconsistent opportunities given to Sanju Samson. Jaffer believes Sooryavanshi was rushed into the team due to media hype, while Samson deserves a more consistent run.
After the match, Naman Dhir also said that Abhishek's pep talk, especially the Punjabi bit pumped up the players.
