Sanju Samson and Kuldeep Yadav with the T20 World Cup trophy. (Photo Credit: BCCI) NEW DELHI: Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar believes life has “come full circle” for Sanju Samson after the wicketkeeper-batsman produced one of the most spectacular turns in Indian cricket during the team’s historic triumph in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SIGN UP NOW!Samson, who started the tournament on the bench, emerged as the player of the tournament after producing three decisive knocks in India’s knockout matches, including the semi-final against England and the final against New Zealand.Reflecting on Samson’s journey, Gavaskar said the Kerala batter turned adversity into a defining moment in his career.
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“Life has come to an end for Sanju Samson,” Gavaskar told Star Sports. “Ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, he had a terrible series against New Zealand. He was dropped and after the T20 World Cup started, he got a chance to play against Namibia, but his batting was not enough to keep his place.”He was dropped again in Samson’s first few matches before India gave him another opportunity at the Super 8 stage.“He subsequently played straight against Zimbabwe in the Super 8, but his real redemption began against West Indies in the virtual quarter-final,” explained Gavaskar.READ ALSO: ‘Samson is a combination of Kohli & Rohit’: Kumble after T20 WC masterclassThis inning sparked a sensational run. Samson followed it up with a match-winning 97 not out against the West Indies, an attacking 89 against England in the semi-final and another 89 in the final against New Zealand to give India a commanding total before they sealed a crushing 96-run victory in Ahmedabad.Gavaskar emphasized that such performances in high-pressure situations define a cricketer’s legacy.“These games will decide your destiny and will define his career. It takes something special to play clutch in high-pressure games,” he said.“To have the scar of failure and then to play the best knocks of his career in three high-pressure matches back to back – that’s Sanju Samson.”The former India captain also highlighted the magnitude of India’s success in defending their World Cup title.“Winning ICC trophies is not easy. Bilateral dominance is different. There is zero error in ICC tournaments,” Gavaskar said. “Winning the T20 World Cup back-to-back is a huge achievement. This is the best moment in the history of Indian cricket.”
