Sanju Samson credits Sachin Tendulkar for T20 World Cup success

India star says Sachin Tendulkar’s guidance helped him regain form during T20 World Cup

Last updated: March 09, 2026 | 02:36

Devadasan K P, Chief Visual Editor

2 MIN READ

India's Sanju Samson plays a shot during the 2026 ICC Men's T20 Cricket World Cup final match between India and New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on March 8, 2026.

AFP

Dubai: Indian opener Sanju Samson credited cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar for helping him rediscover his form after winning the Player of the Tournament award at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.

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Samson finished the tournament as one of India’s standout performers, scoring 321 runs, including three consecutive half-centuries, playing a key role in India’s successful title defence.

Speaking after receiving the award, the wicketkeeper-batter revealed that he had been in constant touch with the ‘Master Blaster’ in the months leading up to the tournament. Samson said Tendulkar’s guidance proved invaluable during a difficult phase in his career.

“For the last couple of months, I have been in constant contact with Sachin sir. I reached out to him and had big conversations with him. Getting guidance from someone like him — what more can you ask for?” Samson said while speaking to former West Indies captain Ian Bishop.

He also reflected on the struggles he faced after the New Zealand series earlier in the year.

“After the NZ series, I was broken. My dreams were completely shattered, and I began to think about what I could do next. But God had different plans,” he said.

Samson’s confidence and preparation paid off during the World Cup, especially in the final against New Zealand, where he smashed 89 off 46 balls to give India a flying start.

Sachin Tendulkar praised India’s outstanding performance in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 final, highlighting Abhishek Sharma’s crucial half-century and key contributions from Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan in posting a formidable total against New Zealand.

India eventually secured a 96-run victory, lifting the T20 World Cup for a record third time, with Samson’s performances playing a decisive role in the historic triumph.

With inputs from ANI

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Devadasan K PChief Visual Editor

Devadasan K P is the Chief Visual Editor at Gulf News, bringing more than 26 years of experience in photojournalism to the role. He leads the Visual desk with precision, speed, and a strong editorial instinct. Whether he’s selecting images of royalty, chasing the biggest celebrity moments in Dubai, or covering live events himself, Devadasan is always a few steps ahead of the action. Over the years, he has covered a wide range of major assignments — including the 2004 tsunami in Sri Lanka, the 2005 Kashmir earthquake, feature reportage from Afghanistan, the IMF World Bank meetings, and wildlife series from Kenya. His work has been widely recognised with industry accolades, including the Minolta Photojournalist of the Year award in 2005, the Best Picture Award at the Dubai Shopping Festival in 2008, and a Silver Award from the Society for News Design in 2011. He handles the newsroom pressure with a calm attitude, a quick response time, and his signature brand of good-natured Malayali humour. There's no fuss — just someone who gets the job done very well, every single time.

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