T20 World Cup: Sanju Samson’s inclusion was a crucial decision for Team India

Dubai: Two vital knocks, and suddenly India are in the final of the T20 World Cup. Sanju Samson has emerged as the hero for the Men in Blue. His exceptional performances against the West Indies and England in the semi-finals have given India a significant boost at the top of the order.

Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav acknowledges his impact. “In my opinion, bringing Sanju into the line-up was key. We saw in the recent bilateral series that combinations like Abhishek, Sanju, and Ishan at the top had been working well for us. As soon as we included him, the game’s momentum shifted completely,” Yadav said.

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Samson has been in sensational form throughout the tournament. In four matches, the Indian opener has racked up 232 runs at an average of 77.33 and an incredible strike rate of 201.73. His explosive batting earned him consecutive Player of the Match awards in India’s last two games — the Super 8 match and the semi-final.

Samson played a match-winning knock of 97 not out off 50 balls in a crucial Super 8s victory against the West Indies, and followed it up with a blistering 89 off 42 balls in the semi-final, once again leading India’s charge.

Suryakumar also highlighted Samson’s dedication and work ethic, especially during his time out of the playing XI. “It was a positive decision to bring him in, and I saw how much effort he had been putting in. When someone is not playing, their contributions off the field are just as important. Even though he wasn’t in the XI, Sanju gave everything he could for the team. The results we’re seeing now are the payoff for all that hard work,” the captain said.

Now, the whole nation is hoping and praying that the Kerala star steps up once again against New Zealand in the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

Former India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin also spoke about Samson’s potential. “Earlier, I manifested that Samson would finish the World Cup with three centuries. He got 97 in the first game, 89 in the next. Now, I think one century would be enough. He didn’t have a great bilateral series against New Zealand, though,” said the 39-year-old.

Ashwin emphasised that how Samson handles New Zealand’s pace attack could be crucial in determining the size of his innings. “If Sanju Samson can tackle Matt Henry the way he dealt with Jofra Archer, I don’t think anyone will be able to stop him. We’re in for an exciting finish, and I really hope he delivers,” Ashwin added.

Samson, too, is focused on delivering when it matters the most. “It feels great and really relieving, as I’ve been working towards this for years. A lot of patience, inner work, training, and practice have gone into this. I’m very grateful, but there’s one more step to go. If we do that, then all the work will be worth it. One more solid innings, and we’ll make it happen.”