Was Sanju Samson the key player without whom India would have lost the T20 World Cup 2026?

[chrismatt83]

I didnt even know who this bloc was until the West Indies game. But I did find so many youtube videos discussing how inspirational his story was and that he was really mismanaged by the Indian selectors and he was constantly shuffled around the team and he would loose his rhythm and place in the playing 11. Tons of was videos mentioning that he was allways having to play second fiddle and make way to Gill, Jaswal, Shaw or Pant since there was a strong lobbying side to push players like Gill, Pant and faces that looked aggressive even though their stats were very mediocre. There was also strong lobbying to crown Gill, Pant as the next Kohli from what I read. Samson would be included in previous World cup matches but was allways just watching silently cheering his team mates on, warming the bench as he would not get called into the playing 11.

The selectors really messed up his career and not sure how much more he has in the tank and years left for him.

I also read that the reason he showed up in the west Indies game was because someone on the team got sick and they were forced to make room for him. Not sure how much of this is true.

Seeing him speak when he got the man of the match award, where he mentioned he was getting guidance from Sachin and practicising on the sidelines and waiting for his moment, really paid off. He seems also more humble and less arrogant and flashy than the rest of his other teammates. Hope to see more of him.

I know Cricket is a team game but the game vs West Indies and the following two games, he single handedly won his team the tournament.

Also im posting after a long time. My previous account was $nak3eye5 but I got banned..not sure why...It was in my younger days but im older now..Mostly just read posts instead of posting..

 

[jnaveen1980]

Welcome back. Yea. it is quiet a story. He is a touch player. But pretty unselfish. Being unselfish comes with certain risks. You could have a few bad games you are out. You need a bit of statpadding skills to keep your spot for longer period. He played his role. Even in the last 3 game he started aggressively. Did some anchoring as well in the virtual QF and Final. Finished his anchoring with a strike rate of 200. Anchor means someone with 6th gear in their kitty. He always has that. Remember he smashed Rizad hossain for 5 sixes in one over. He should be proud of himself. India tried to replace Sanju with poster boy Gill. Thankfully it didn't work out.

 

[charlie007]

Would India have lost without Sanju Samson? You’re getting into hypotheticals now - nobody knows if another player would have stepped up and done what Sanju did. Why go into could have, if, what if type of scenarios- nobody knows so it’s best to rely on real facts.
The fact establishes that Sanju was instrumental in India winning the World Cup. He deserves all the credit for his performance during the high pressure knockout stages of the tournament and was rightly adjudged as the player of the tournament.

 

[chrismatt83]

Would India have lost without Sanju Samson? You’re getting into hypotheticals now - nobody knows if another player would have stepped up and done what Sanju did. Why go into could have, if, what if type of scenarios- nobody knows so it’s best to rely on real facts.
The fact establishes that Sanju was instrumental in India winning the World Cup. He deserves all the credit for his performance during the high pressure knockout stages of the tournament and was rightly adjudged as the player of the tournament.

In the West Indies game he was there till the end and on the other side not sure who would have been able to adapt and lead the team on till the end. In a parallel world I see them loosing to West Indies if Sanju was not there.. It was the same in the England and New Zealand games too. His scores pretty much tell rhe story in those three games.

 

[RexRex]

The selectors had given him enough chances despite him being erratic, nothing unfair about his journey. He finally showed up in the last three games and credit to him. Hope it's a new glorious phase of consistency for him.

 

[jnaveen1980]

The selectors had given him enough chances despite him being erratic, nothing unfair about his journey. He finally showed up in the last three games and credit to him. Hope it's a new glorious phase of consistency for him.

But partly the super star culture they still cling on to. Glad he had a conversation with Sachin right through this phase. We have a good support system. Glad it all worked out in the end. Even the biggest players are going to be nervous. To play without nerves 3 back to back must win matches you need boat load of balls. He had it. Capped it off with a great knock in final.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Would India have lost without Sanju Samson? You’re getting into hypotheticals now - nobody knows if another player would have stepped up and done what Sanju did. Why go into could have, if, what if type of scenarios- nobody knows so it’s best to rely on real facts.
The fact establishes that Sanju was instrumental in India winning the World Cup. He deserves all the credit for his performance during the high pressure knockout stages of the tournament and was rightly adjudged as the player of the tournament.

You could literally say the same about Bumrah especially in the semi final. With 45 to score in 3 overs he conceded 6 runs and pandya who bowled 19th over.

 

[charlie007]

In the West Indies game he was there till the end and on the other side not sure who would have been able to adapt and lead the team on till the end. In a parallel world I see them loosing to West Indies if Sanju was not there.. It was the same in the England and New Zealand games too. His scores pretty much tell rhe story in those three games.

Axar would have scored 75 in 22 balls

 

[charlie007]

You could literally say the same about Bumrah especially in the semi final. With 45 to score in 3 overs he conceded 6 runs and pandya who bowled 19th over.

Exactly, Sanju did the best but it’s a team game and everyone played their part. Those are facts.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Exactly, Sanju did the best but it’s a team game and everyone played their part. Those are facts.

That is what champion teams do. They find match winners. Dube played significant role in almost every match with bat. What about Kishan who is voted as the MVP player among batsmen by cricinfo. He carired on the momentum

 

[The Bald Eagle]

Lol what would have happened if Gill had played instead of Sanju

 

[AZulfi]

No. India has too many match winners.

Think about it. Jaiswal, Shubhman Gill, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Siraj, Kuldeep and even Samson earlier could not make their eleven. What team would these individuals not get a game for?

They might need an India A in the next T20 World Cup, and that team would beat most (test) sides imo.

You have to take ALL your chances against sides like India. You cannot afford to drop even a single catch. Brook dropping Sanju Samson in single digits (who went on to score a match-winning 89) was one of the turning points in the SF. In the Final New Zealand were simply outclassed by India

 

[BDfanforever]

Man we shouldn't have toured to IND last time. Sanju's international career was almost done for. However, our bowlers revamped his international career.

Anyway, yes, he was vital player for IND win at the world cup. Otherwise, there was good chance they could've been knocked out by WI itself. I would put these in order of impact for IND World T20 win:

1. Bumrah--> Got important wicket of Hetmeyer/Chase against WI at right time + spell against ENG.
2. Sanju Samson--> Survived a drop against England and made full use of it.
3. Shivam Dube--> High impact player with whatever ball he faced.
4. Ishan Kishan-->Carried on with momentum.
5. Axar Patel--> 2 insane catches against England.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Man we shouldn't have toured to IND last time. Sanju's international career was almost done for. However, our bowlers revamped his international career.

Anyway, yes, he was vital player for IND win at the world cup. Otherwise, there was good chance they could've been knocked out by WI itself. I would put these in order of impact for IND World T20 win:

1. Bumrah--> Got important wicket of Hetmeyer/Chase against WI at right time + spell against ENG.
2. Sanju Samson--> Survived a drop against England and made full use of it.
3. Shivam Dube--> High impact player with whatever ball he faced.
4. Ishan Kishan-->Carried on with momentum.
5. Axar Patel--> 2 insane catches against England.

Trying to interpret this

"OUr bowling is so bad that it will create a legend" - Sanju Samson is a keeper batsman. He was not going to be dropped for anybody. Sanju was part of 2024 squad. Pant was ahead of him keeping. Only because of Gill's needless introduction he lost his spot. They course-corrected it.

So don't "over rate your mediocrity of your bowlif" lol Sanju thrashed SOuth Africa later .

 

[BDfanforever]

Trying to interpret this

"OUr bowling is so bad that it will create a legend" - Sanju Samson is a keeper batsman. He was not going to be dropped for anybody. Sanju was part of 2024 squad. Pant was ahead of him keeping. Only because of Gill's needless introduction he lost his spot. They course-corrected it.

So don't "over rate your mediocrity of your bowlif" lol Sanju thrashed SOuth Africa later .

Yes, I am not denying that he is not a capable batsman. He has near zero marketability though compared to Gill/Rahul whom are way ahead of him in that department. Plus, they are also superior batsmen.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Yes, I am not denying that he is not a capable batsman. He has near zero marketability though compared to Gill/Rahul whom are way ahead of him in that department. Plus, they are also superior batsmen.

GIll is not a T20 batsman.In T20 Sanju is far superior. RAHUL . One of the biggest reason India missed many tournament wins including 2019/2023 world cup. Biggest chicken in India's LOI set up.

 

[rhony]

Considering Abhishek's flop batting, yes. But its Bumrah and Hardik that are more valuable. Sanju can be replaced. There is no other gun bowler and all rounder in India that can replace these two.

 

[jnaveen1980]

Considering Abhishek's flop batting, yes. But its Bumrah and Hardik that are more valuable. Sanju can be replaced. There is no other gun bowler and all rounder in India that can replace these two.

Sanju's temperament cannot be replaced. Just replace Sanju with KL Rahul we would have exited before semi final. or Pant. Loook how pathetically South Africa played on an even more flat wicket against NZ. They just choked against rubbish bowlers.

 

[AZulfi]

Considering Abhishek's flop batting, yes. But its Bumrah and Hardik that are more valuable. Sanju can be replaced. There is no other gun bowler and all rounder in India that can replace these two.

I think differently. I think Sanju Samson should be in India's ODI eleven as well. He has the right temperament to excel in white-ball cricket's longer format as well. Three successive 80+ scores at the top of the order in all must-win games for India takes some doing.

 

[chakdeindian]

I wouldn't say India would have lost, as even the matches Sanju didnt play India were winning matches with one or other batter pitching in..But He is instrumental in convincing wins and setting big impossible targets..His batting had both the flamboyance of Rohit and class of Kohli..At the same time, he didn't play one too many shots like Rohit or start cautiously like Kohli and increase the strike rate later..Also he didn't choke like Kl Rahul in crucial games..All said, this should just be a visiting card and not the pinnacle..He should play more such innings and play more consistently across all formats if provided with opportunities

 

[sweep_shot]

Can Samson play well in ODI and Test? Those are the real formats. Those formats determine a player's greatness.

T20 is a format where even Pat Cummins scored a 14-ball fifty. It is a lalloo format.

 

[jnaveen1980]

I think differently. I think Sanju Samson should be in India's ODI eleven as well. He has the right temperament to excel in white-ball cricket's longer format as well. Three successive 80+ scores at the top of the order in all must-win games for India takes some doing.

HE has already played. He averages 56 in ODIs at a strike rate of 100.

 

[BouncerGuy]

if and buts stuff but things could have been different if England had not missed that catch that early in the game... Sanju is not a hack. He can hit some serious shots. Effortless.

His role was even biger than Bumrah IMO.

 

[Hitman]

Well, BCCI didn't import Sanju Samson to Team India from Pakistan or some other team.

 

[harshjoshi87]

Yeah Sanju was one of the biggest reasons the World Champions defended their trophy at home.