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Cricket PlayersGambhir’s role in bringing Samson back from the dead; head coach was hell-bent on giving India’s ‘best keeper’ his dues
With strong backing from coach Gautam Gambhir, Sanju Samson's 97 helps India triumph in a crucial T20 World Cup match.
It took him 10 years, but Sanju Samson finally has a career-defining knock he can be proud of. The wicketkeeper batter’s unbeaten 97 – you know the significance of that score in the annals of Indian cricket – powered India to a convincing five-wicket win over the West Indies in the virtual quarterfinal of the T20 World Cup. With the winner set to join England, South Africa and New Zealand in the semi-final, Samson held up one end even as India suffered a few bumps along the way in their record chase of 196. After India lost to South Africa, a trivia went viral: India had never chased 160 successfully at the T20 World Cups without Virat Kohli. Last night, Samson made sure he changed it, and boy, did he do it in some style.
And to think that Samson almost did not play this game. Made to warm the bench at the last T20 World Cup, Samson did not start in India’s Playing XI in the tournament opener against the USA, and although he was given a chance against Namibia with Abhishek Sharma nursing a stomach bug, he was left out again once the opener recovered in time for the game against Pakistan. It was only after a sound thrashing at the hands of South Africa, which threatened to derail India’s campaign, that Samson was slotted back into the team, and he immediately made a mark. He may have scored only 24 against Zimbabwe, but the brisk start – smoking two sixes and a four – helped Samson ensure India did not lose a wicket in the first two overs for the first time this tournament, allowing Abhishek Sharma to take off.
As Samson walked back, one visual caught everyone’s eyes. The fist-bump with head coach Gautam Gambhir in the dugout. Samson didn’t stay out in the middle for long, but in those 15 balls he faced, he got the job done for his team. Apart from Samson, no one would be prouder of this effort than Gambhir, who backed him consistently, even when it meant taking tough calls. Even last evening, Samson and Gambhir shared a warm hug, summing up their equation.
Aakash Chopra recalls
Long before he became India’s coach, Gambhir was always high on Samson, referring to him as India’s ‘best wicketkeeper’ batter during his time as an expert for the host broadcasters, Star Sports. To reiterate that point, former India opener Aakash Chopra, who’s played numerous matches with Gambhir, recalled an instance.
“Gauti has always rated him high. He used to tell us that he’s the best wicketkeeper batter – forget wicketkeeper – he’s the best batter in the country. So, from that and now, it is now a return on investment, which is the best ROI that a coach can ever lean on. The guy has actually delivered when it mattered the most. He may not have gotten a century, but I guess 97 is the new hundred these days,” he said.
‘Won’t drop if even if you score 21 ducks', Gambhir to Samson
Chopra isn’t the only one to feel what he does. Last year, during a conversation with former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, Samson revealed that Gambhir vowed to back him and give him a long run irrespective of his scores. When Samson was feeling low after a string of low scores, Gambhir’s assurance came at the right time, as he became the only Indian batter to score consecutive T20I centuries, achieving the feat against South Africa in November, 2024.
“I said, 'After a long time, I got a chance, but I failed to capitalise'. He said, 'So what? I'll drop you if you register 21 ducks'. That's the word which he used,” said Samson.
And lastly, Gambhir himself was impressed seeing Samson repay his faith in ways only a coach can understand. "I actually felt that he never accelerated the innings. It was just very normal cricketing shots, and I never saw him muscling the ball as well. That is the kind of talent he has,” said Gambhir.
"Obviously, he had a tough series against New Zealand, so sometimes it's important to give him a break as well, because you want to get the guy off that pressure situation as well. And we always knew that whenever we needed him in the World Cup game, he'll come and deliver it for us."
