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Gautam Gambhir explained Sanju Samson’s return to India’s T20 World Cup XI to boost top-order firepower. Samson excelled, becoming India’s top run-getter with 321 runs.
Sanju Samson has been India’s most important performer in the last 2 matches. (PTI Photo)
Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir explained that the decision to reintroduce wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson into the playing XI during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was aimed at boosting the top order’s firepower and maintaining an aggressive approach in the early overs. Speaking on JioHotstar, Gambhir dismissed speculation that the change was made to break a sequence of left-handed batters at the top of the order.
Gambhir emphasised that the team’s focus over the past year and a half has been to adopt an attacking mindset from the start. He clarified, “I know a lot of people will talk about how we wanted to break the three left-handers at the top, but not at all. We just felt that we wanted to be more explosive because the ideology in the last one and a half years has been to go out there and be as explosive as we can be.”
The head coach added that Samson’s inclusion was not about countering a specific type of bowler but about strengthening the batting line-up during the power play. “The reason to bring in Sanju was not about managing the off-spinner from the other end. I believe that a quality batter will be good against any kind of bowler, whether it’s an off-spinner or a left-arm spinner. It was about whether we could get even more firepower at the top and be more aggressive in the first six overs,” he said.
Highlighting Samson’s batting ability, Gambhir said the wicketkeeper-batter has the potential to change the course of a match within the power play if he finds his rhythm. “We know what Sanju can do; there was never any doubt about his talent and explosiveness. If he gets going, he can win you the game in the first six overs. Imagine having Abhishek, Sanju and Ishan as your top three, and then you have the likes of Surya, Hardik, Tilak, Shivam and Axar to follow,” he added.
How Gambhir Let Sanju Know?
Gambhir also described how he informed Samson about his return to the playing XI ahead of the match against Zimbabwe, noting it was a casual interaction during a training session. “So, you can’t ask for anything more. I conveyed it to him in the gym. In fact, we were both training together, and I just told him that you’ll be playing against Zimbabwe, and he said, ‘Let it come.’ That’s the kind of casual conversation we have. It’s not like a head coach and a player’s relationship. It’s a relationship where most of our one-on-one conversations happen during practice sessions,” Gambhir said.
Samson made a remarkable comeback during the recently concluded T20 World Cup, overcoming inconsistency and benching to emerge as India’s leading run-getter in the tournament. He delivered crucial performances when it mattered most, with a string of half-centuries from the virtual quarterfinal against West Indies to the title clash against New Zealand. Samson was also adjudged Player of the Tournament for his consistent performance, amassing 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, hitting 27 fours and 24 sixes, finishing as the third-highest run-getter in the T20 World Cup.
Additionally, the right-handed batter surpassed Virat Kohli’s total of 319 runs in the 2014 T20 World Cup edition to have the most runs by an Indian during a single T20 World Cup edition.
(With inputs from Agencies)
March 15, 2026, 16:44 IST
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