Sanju Samson’s 2026 T20 World Cup journey was far from smooth. After being left out of India’s playing XI at the start of the tournament, the wicketkeeper-batter battled disappointment before making a stunning comeback that ended with him winning the Player of the Tournament award.
Sanju Samson entered the 2026 T20 World Cup after a disappointing five-match T20I series against New Zealand. He was not included in India’s playing XI during the early part of the tournament, with Ishan Kishan opening the innings alongside Abhishek Sharma instead.
During that difficult phase, former India captain Rohit Sharma, who was serving as the ICC ambassador during the tournament, tried to encourage Sanju Samson by telling him to stay patient, remain positive and be ready because opportunities could come at any stage of a long tournament.
However, Sanju Samson admitted that he was too disappointed at the time to believe those reassuring words. He said Rohit Sharma may have been speaking from experience and with good intentions but he was unable to see the situation in the same way because of his own emotions.
The Kerala batter explained that the disappointment stayed with him for several days. Since the T20 World Cup began just two days after the New Zealand series, he said he needed time to recover mentally. Sanju Samson added that he does not hide his emotions and it took him around four to five days before he was able to regain his focus.
Instead of giving up, Sanju Samson used the setback as a chance to reflect on himself. He said he accepted that he had failed and decided to work on his mental strength. During that period, he questioned his purpose as a cricketer and tried to rediscover his motivation, believing that once a player reaches the lowest point, the only way forward is to improve.
When Sanju Samson finally got his chance, he made it count. He finished the tournament as India’s highest run-scorer and the third-highest overall, scoring 321 runs in five matches at an impressive average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37.
His outstanding performances helped India win the 2026 T20 World Cup on the home soil and earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
