AHMEDABAD: There have been subtle changes for the better in Sanju Samson’s game. The T20 World Cup’s player of the tournament now has a remarkable steadiness when he plays his shots or is charging the bowler. The fidgety, twitchy version of Samson we saw earlier is gone.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The changes can be attributed to the lean run prior to the World Cup in the T20I series against New Zealand, which led to his omission from the squad and prompted serious introspection.With opposition teams targeting India with off-spin early in the Powerplay to neutralise left-hander Abhishek Sharma’s power hitting, and with Rinku Singh being under-utilised down the order, India rejigged their lineup and brought in Sanju.

Suddenly, the pieces seemed to fit and India had the perfect batting order for the occasion. Samson smashed three crucial, consecutive half-centuries, was India’s leading scorer with 321 runs from five innings and has probably hit upon the kind of consistency which eluded him for long periods of his career.Now, Samson is also the leading Indian run-scorer in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.ALSO READ: Team India Report Card: Perfect finish to a not-so-perfect T20 World Cup campaign“As soon as we brought him (back), the game changed completely (for us),” captain Suryakumar Yadav said.“He started batting differently. That was a positive call for him. I saw him working very hard. When someone doesn’t play, what he does (outside the playing field) is more important. He did everything he could for the team when he was not playing. The last three to four innings he has batted for the team, it is a result of all the hard work he has put in,” said Surya, highlighting the hard yards in the nets by the opener.One of Samson’s earliest coaches, Biju George, told TOI, “Every batsman over a long tournament brings in minute adjustments. He just kept faith in his ability and backed himself. He kept hitting straight and strong.”Sanju’s batting now has the distinct clarity it lacked earlier. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said Samson had changed his approach from the bilateral series earlier.“Unfortunate for us, he was saving his runs for the World Cup. In a few of those games, he looked like he was trying to hit from ball one. Now, he gave himself a chance, gave himself a few balls. On these wickets, when you’re in, you can really cash in,” Santner said.

They were the overwhelming favourites coming into the tournament — a stunning run since winning the 2024 edition, playing in familiar home conditions and with almost all the players in form. But the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 did not pan out as expected for the defending champions and co-hosts India.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Reaching the Super Eights was never going to be an issue, with the expanded 20-team tournament featuring several associate nations. But the real challenge was getting past the Super 8s and qualifying for the knockouts. And there, India were tested as they were hammered by South Africa in their first Super 8 match.After that, it was a must-win situation for India, especially in the final Super 8 clash against West Indies. It required some superb individual performances to carry the team forward.

India were not completely in control even in the semi-final against England despite posting a record 253/7, eventually winning by just seven runs. Finally, riding on another blockbuster batting display in the summit clash, they thrashed New Zealand by a record 96 runs to defend the title.India rewrote T20 World Cup history with this win — becoming the first team to defend the title and the first to win it at home. They also became the first team to win the tournament three times, adding to their triumphs in 2007 and 2024.Despite it being a not-so-perfect campaign, Indian players somehow scraped through as they won their third ICC title on the trot — T20 World Cup 2024, Champions Trophy 2025 and T20 World Cup 2026.

Here’s how Team India’s players performed in this month-long tournament: Suryakumar Yadav (captain) — 6.5/10The India skipper started the campaign with an unbeaten 84 against USA in the tournament opener when the team was struggling at 77/6, but he did not have much success with the bat in the next eight matches, ending with a golden duck in the final.It was a topsy-turvy campaign as captain too, but he kept his wits intact, especially in the final, to guide India home. Surya, however, contributed consistently with the bat and finished with 242 runs – third most in the team – at an average of 30.25 and a strike rate of 136.72.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Abhishek Sharma (Opener) — 4/10Everything that could go wrong went wrong for the World No.1 T20I batter Abhishek Sharma.He started the tournament with a hat-trick of ducks. A 55 against Zimbabwe in the must-win Super 8 match gave some hope, but he struggled again against West Indies in the virtual quarter-final and England in the semi-final.Abhishek, however, repaid the team management’s faith by scoring a quick-fire 52 off 21 balls against New Zealand in the final.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Sanju Samson (Wicketkeeper-opener) — 9/10Undoubtedly one of the heroes of India’s campaign, Sanju Samson made the difference in the title defence. Samson lost his place in the starting XI to Ishan Kishan before the tournament.He got just one game in the group stage before getting his opportunity in the Super 8s after India were hammered by South Africa.Samson then made the tournament his own with a stunning unbeaten 97 off 50 balls against West Indies in the virtual quarter-final. It was followed by two identical scores of 89 in the semi-final and final, joining the elite group featuring Shahid Afridi (2009) and Virat Kohli (2014) to achieve the feat.He ended the campaign as the second-highest run-getter with 321 runs and also hit the most sixes in the tournament — 24 — all in just five innings.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper-opener) — 8/10It was one of the best comeback stories, as Ishan Kishan nudged Sanju Samson out of the opening slot alongside Abhishek Sharma before the tournament.When Abhishek was struggling for runs, it was Ishan who kept the scoreboard moving at the top, scoring 61 against Namibia and 77 against Pakistan in the group stage.He later lost the opening slot after Samson was promoted to open with India needing wins in the final four matches. But it did not deter him as he continued contributing at No.3, including 39 off 18 against England in the semi-final and 54 off 25 in the final against New Zealand.Ishan finished as India’s second-highest run-getter and third overall with 317 runs.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Hardik Pandya (Pace all-rounder) — 7/10India’s evergreen X-factor Hardik Pandya had another successful campaign, scoring quick runs, providing crucial breakthroughs and being a livewire in the field.Batting at No.5 or lower, Hardik scored two fifties and played his part in giving India strong finishes. He ended with 217 runs.With the ball, he provided timely breakthroughs and finished with nine wickets. His all-round performance against Namibia — 52 off 28 balls and 2 for 21 — earned him the Player of the Match award.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Tilak Varma (Batter) — 6/10India’s designated No.3 batter Tilak Varma had a below-par outing initially and often struggled to get going. The disappointing opening stands before Samson’s promotion did not help either.Except for a 16-ball 25 against USA, his strike rate remained a concern. In the next four innings at No.3, his strike rate stayed below 120, putting pressure on the middle order.However, once Samson moved to the top and Ishan batted at No.3, Tilak was pushed down the order and found his rhythm. His unbeaten 44 off 16 against Zimbabwe, 27 off 15 against West Indies and 21 off seven against England in the semi-final helped India reach the final.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Shivam Dube (Pace all-rounder) — 7/10Shivam Dube played the middle-overs enforcer’s role effectively. He consistently scored quick runs to give India strong finishes.His 66 off 31 balls against Netherlands, along with figures of 2/35, helped India remain unbeaten in the group stage. Dube was run out three times while attempting quick runs, reflecting his aggressive intent.Although he picked up five wickets with his medium pace, it was his batting that stood out. His unbeaten 26 off just eight balls played a key role in taking India’s total in the final to 255/5, well beyond New Zealand’s reach.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Axar Patel (Spin all-rounder) — 6.5/10Vice-captain Axar Patel was a livewire in the field, proving the phrase “catches win matches” — particularly in the semi-final against England, where his fielding efforts broke crucial partnerships.He also picked up important wickets, including three in the final, and finished with 11 wickets in seven matches.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Jasprit Bumrah (Pacer) — 9/10India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah once again proved why he is head and shoulder above the rest.He picked wickets in almost every match and delivered an excellent spell of 3/15 against South Africa too despite India’s big defeat. But his defining performance came in the final against New Zealand.Defending a massive target, Bumrah produced a sensational spell of 4 for 15 — the best figures by a pacer in a T20 World Cup final.He finished as the joint-highest wicket-taker of the tournament with 14 wickets, alongside Varun Chakaravarthy, while maintaining a superb economy rate of 6.21.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Varun Chakaravarthy (Mystery spinner) — 5/10The World No.1 T20I bowler began the tournament strongly, claiming nine wickets in the group stage, including 2/17 against Pakistan.However, his form dipped in the Super 8 stage. He was hammered for 47 runs by South Africa and struggled to regain control.His toughest outing came in the semi-final against England, where he conceded a record 64 runs in four overs.After the group stage, he returned figures of five wickets for 225 runs in five games — a stark contrast to his group-stage performance of nine wickets for 62 runs. Still, his early exploits ensured he finished joint-highest wicket-taker with Bumrah with 14 wickets.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Arshdeep Singh (Pacer) — 6/10Arshdeep Singh was not at his wicket-taking best. The leading wicket-taker in T20Is for India returned nine wickets from eight innings and went wicketless in the final.His best figures were 3 for 24 against Zimbabwe, while his most expensive outing came against England in the high-scoring semi-final.Overall, it was a decent campaign, though overshadowed by Bumrah’s brilliance.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Rinku Singh (Middle-order batter) — 2/10India’s designated finisher Rinku Singh had a disappointing campaign and eventually lost his place when Sanju Samson was drafted in at the top.His final outing was a two-ball duck against South Africa in the first Super 8 match.Rinku finished with just 24 runs from five innings at a strike rate of 82.75 — well below expectations for a finisher’s role.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Washington Sundar (Spin all-rounder) — 3/10Washington Sundar played just two matches and remained wicketless in both — 0/36 in four overs against Netherlands and 0/17 in two overs against South Africa.He lost his place after Axar Patel returned to the playing XI.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Kuldeep Yadav (Spinner) — 7/10With the team management persisting with Varun Chakaravarthy, Kuldeep Yadav featured in just one match — against Pakistan.He returned figures of 1 for 14 in three overs. It was difficult to judge his performance from a single outing in a long tournament, and it was unfortunate he did not get more opportunities.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Mohammed Siraj (Pacer) — 7/10Mohammed Siraj also played just one match — India’s tournament opener against the USA.He made an immediate impact, returning figures of 3 for 29 in four overs and finishing as the highest wicket-taker in the match.However, the return of Jasprit Bumrah in the next game meant Siraj had to sit out due to team combination.T20 World Cup 2026 Stats:

Sanju Samson said he approached the T20 World Cup with a new game plan that helped him regain form and play a key role in India’s title triumph. The star batsman spoke to reporters on Monday after returning to Thiruvananthapuram following the World Cup victory.Samson, who was named the Man of the Tournament, received a grand welcome at the airport. V Sivankutty, Kerala’s Education Minister, greeted him on arrival in the evening as hundreds of cricket fans gathered outside the airport, raising slogans in support of the Kerala cricketer.

Reflecting on his change in batting approach, Samson said earlier he had tried to attack every ball, which often led to his dismissals.“I tried to hit every ball, but it did not work. Then I had to learn from those failures. In the five-match series, I tried to increase my strike rate, but it didn’t work. Then I prepared with a different game plan for the World Cup,” he said.Samson also spoke about seeking advice from Sachin Tendulkar during a difficult phase in his career, describing the experience as unforgettable.“We were in touch as I had been sending him messages for the past few years. We also spoke when we met during the IPL,” he said.According to Samson, Tendulkar was the first person he thought of approaching when he struggled with his form.“When I contacted him, he genuinely connected with me. He spoke to me for about 25 minutes, describing what had happened in his career, what to think during difficult moments, how to practise and how to handle situations. It genuinely helped me,” Samson said.He added that after losing form during the New Zealand series, he reached out to Tendulkar again and received further guidance.“Even a day before the World Cup final, he contacted me and asked whether everything was ready. It is not something everyone gets, and I am very happy about it,” he said, adding that Tendulkar congratulated him after the final victory.Samson also spoke about the impact of social media on players, saying it can influence them both positively and negatively.“Youngsters should learn how to handle it well. From social media, I understood how much people love me. But when things go the other way, one should open social media only if one can bear it,” he said.To stay focused during the tournament, Samson said he had kept his phone switched off for the past month.He added that his social media accounts are managed by a team.“When I cut it off, the outside noise could be controlled. When the World Cup is happening in the country, there is a lot of outside noise. I cut it off and focused on cricket,” he said.Samson said the last time he left Thiruvananthapuram was after a poor run of form ahead of the World Cup.“But such a twist was unexpected. We are happy now,” he said.Expressing gratitude to his supporters, Samson said their unwavering support meant a lot to him.“Not even now, when I was not selected in the team, when I was in the team, or when I did not perform, people stood with me during my setbacks. I felt a responsibility to give back for their support. I dedicate this performance to the people of the state,” he said.Samson said he was overwhelmed by the love he had received from fans.“In cricket, we can perform well at times, and sometimes we lose. My wife used to show me videos and reels of genuine support and prayers from people. My eyes would fill with tears seeing that, and I wondered whether I deserved such love,” he said.He said he planned to spend a couple of days with his parents if time permitted after his media commitments.“I was told there may be an event in New Delhi as part of the World Cup victory celebrations the next day. That will be confirmed soon. Then I may have to go for it,” he said.

TimesofIndia.com in Ahmedabad: When the fireworks went off at the Narendra Modi Stadium, there wasn’t the expected frenzy outside the venue. The thousands who rushed to their seats before the T20 World Cup final began were in no hurry to leave as India celebrated the 2026 T20 World Cup title. Impromptu bhangra, celebrations with loved ones and the victory laps were the kind of moments every Indian fan would savour for the rest of their lives, and Ahmedabad certainly wasn’t going to let go of the opportunity. Some people without tickets thronged the lanes leading to the gigantic facility. For them, it was about screaming their lungs out while dancing to the tunes of “India! India!” and the beats of the dhol which broke out the moment India completed formalities.Although the night of celebrations was going to be long, Suryakumar Yadav and Gautam Gambhir‘s first priority was taking the trophy to the temple located inside the stadium with ICC Chair Jay Shah. The three offered their prayers and received blessings before moving on to the next set of events.

Around 2:30 am, the word had spread that the team was around and the loud sirens made spotting them much easier. Hundreds gathered around the hotel walls to catch a glimpse of their superstars and nearly a thousand people thronged both sides of the heavily secured streets. The police had blocked the straight road to the hotel but Indian cricket fans maneuvered around the home stretch to reach it. The hotel staff prepared for the mayhem by blocking all entry points to the facility, even making guests wait outside before opening the barricades.

When Hardik Pandya got off the team bus holding the trophy, fireworks went off and the players kept ducking for cover because the explosions seemed too close for comfort. The usual flower shower, dhol and music followed but the entire team rushed into the hotel’s ballroom. To avoid the crowd and the madness of in-house guests, the lobby area wasn’t used. While this disappointed some fans waiting for hours, it seemed the most sensible approach.

Even though the entry was smooth, the party wasn’t over yet. Family members and managers of a few players casually roamed near the entrance. However, they also received the message: a party was happening, and the players wouldn’t be free for at least the next couple of hours.

The crowd had also started to clear from around the hotel and the police shooed away the handful who were trying to climb over the walls to get a sneak-peek. Some players had already initiated their return travel plans while most were set to have one of the soundest sleeps of their lives. As Surya and most players said after the title win, “It will take at least 3-4 days to sink in, the feeling of winning T20 World Cup at home. But it feels unreal.”

NEW DELHI: Arshdeep Singh has been a ‘character’ on social media ever since India won the 2026 T20 World Cup. With his pranks and banter, the left-arm seamer has spared no one, not head coach Gautam Gambhir, not seniors like Jasprit Bumrah and Axar Patel, and not even Sanju Samson, who stepped up on three big nights on the bounce in this World Cup.

In one of his many Instagram Reels, with a beaming Sanju beside him, the pacer quips, “O paaji, justice mil gaya.” Arshdeep said it with a laugh, citing the social media trend #JusticeForSanju whenever the opener was benched in the T20 World Cup or in the lead-up to the tournament.ID@undefined Caption not available.This has been the story of Sanju Samson in the past 18 months. Under Gambhir’s regime, the Kerala cricketer either batted like a millionaire or looked bankrupt. He lost his place, he lost self-belief, but he was backed by the team management and it proved to be one of many standout aspects in India’s T20 World Cup triumph.

First, there are the milestones of trophies: second straight, third overall, back-to-back, first by hosts. Look deeper and there is the standout bowling even though batting was the much-heralded aspect going into the competition. And when the batting looked a mess, a couple of changes later, things took a sharp upward curve. India produced three 250-plus totals in the last four matches. A total of 106 sixes were hit across the competition, the first time a team crossed a century of maximums.But there is another factor that stands out. It sits underneath this success for the Indian team. And it is the backing shown by the selectors, the coaching staff and the leadership group to multiple players, but arguably none more than Sanju Samson. At the other end, there is also the perseverance shown by him.

For teams of the past, the thrashing by South Africa by 76 runs would have resulted in knee-jerk reactions. Instead, it was met with some shrewd strategic changes. Samson came in for the clash against Zimbabwe that followed. After a 15-ball 24 in the opening slot alongside Abhishek Sharma, the template was set.“Performing their roles, understanding their responsibilities, chipping in at the right time, talking to each player when someone is not doing well. That is more important to me. When someone is not doing well, you try to spend time with him, take him out for dinners, talk to him, because those are the players who at the right time will do something special for you, like how Abhishek did just now and Sanju did in the last three games,” said Suryakumar Yadav in the post-match press conference.

Team India coach Gautam Gambhir acknowledged that it was always going to be tough for the 31-year-old, especially with, admittedly, his career on the line.“It takes so much character and courage when you know that maybe your career is on the line. Even if the captain and I can show as much faith and trust in him, deep inside you know that you didn’t have a great series against New Zealand before the start of the World Cup. And then you didn’t start in the playing XI during the World Cup, losing your spot to Ishan Kishan,” said coach Gambhir.

Sanju Samson of India walks off the pitch after losing his wicket during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Pankaj Nangia/Getty Images)

The form wasn’t the best. In the New Zealand series, Samson scored only 46 runs at a miserable average of 9.20, with the highest score being 24. Against Namibia in the T20 World Cup, even though India posted 209/9, he contributed a mere 22 runs from eight balls.That might have been that for Sanju and his India ambitions, but with the team’s top order getting exposed time and again, a shuffle in order and approach was the need of the hour. That, coupled with the hammering by South Africa, played into the Trivandrum-born cricketer’s hands.Samson came through on this chance, and the backing was justified. A 50-ball 97 against the West Indies. A 42-ball 89 against England. A 46-ball 89 against New Zealand in the final. In all, 275 runs from 138 balls at a strike rate of nearly 200, including 25 fours and 19 sixes.

This entire process started one or two years earlier when I was with the 2024 World Cup-winning team in the West Indies. I could not get a game, but I kept dreaming, kept visualising, kept working. This is exactly what I wanted to do then.

Sanju Samson

Let’s run down the magnitude of these three innings. The 89 against New Zealand is the highest score in a T20 World Cup final. His fifty-plus scores in the semi-final and final saw him enter a four-man list. His 321-run tally made him the highest Indian run-scorer in a single T20 World Cup edition and the third-highest overall. Finally, he smashed 24 sixes, the most by a player in one tournament, nearly a quarter of India’s overall maximums.Before all this, though, he sat in the dugout. The camera panned to him after every struggle by the Indian top order. Question marks were raised repeatedly, but the noise grew louder after the defeat to the Proteas. In that moment, assistant coach Ryan ten Doeschate admitted that bringing Sanju in was going to be a “talking point.”Sanju, meanwhile, felt his “dreams had shattered” after the New Zealand series. But “huge” conversations with Sachin Tendulkar kept the faith going, ensuring he remained upbeat and hopeful of luck shining on him.

Sanju Samson of India plays a shot during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India & Sri Lanka 2026 Final between India and New Zealand at Narendra Modi Stadium on March 08, 2026 in Ahmedabad, India. (Photo by Prakash Singh/Getty Images)

“A lot of former players have reached out to me and tried to help me out. Over the last couple of months, I hope I can share it here, I’ve been in constant touch with Sachin sir. When I was sitting outside in Australia during the T20Is in October and not playing a game, I thought about what mindset was required.“I reached out to sir and had long conversations with him. Even yesterday night, he called me up to check how I am feeling. Getting guidance from someone like him, that clarity, game preparation, awareness and game sense, I am grateful for everyone who supported me.”The low point, admitted Sanju, came after the New Zealand series. He felt “broke” and “out of my mind”, with his dreams “shattered.” It reminded him of where this desire was born.“This entire process started one or two years earlier when I was with the 2024 World Cup-winning team in the West Indies,” he said. “I couldn’t get a game, but I kept dreaming, kept visualising, kept working. This is exactly what I wanted to do then,” said Samson on being part of that Rohit Sharma-led squad.

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“I thought I needed to put in so much work because this is exactly what I wanted to achieve. By God’s grace today things have turned around,” he continued.The “Justice for Sanju” social media campaign to bring the Keralite into the team might have felt excessive. It might have even looked cringeworthy at times. But now that the script is written, maybe it was God’s plan after all.