Is the Sanju Samson fandom at par with the craze for MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma? Dinesh Karthik certainly thinks so when he says Samson is the most popular cricketer in the country as India prepares for their T20 World Cup semi-final match against England.
The goalkeeper made an incredible turn when he scored a match-winning 97 off 50 balls in their must-win clash against the West Indies in Kolkata. Samson endured a painful few months during which he lost his place as the side’s opener to Ishan Kishan after a poor run of form.
The keeper only found a place in the line-up after Abhishek Sharma’s poor form prompted a change in the batting line-up and he delivered when the team needed him most. After the knock, Samson was praised by fans, pundits and celebrities like India made it to the final four of the competition.
In an interview with Sky Sports, Karthik said that Samson has a fantastic story and finds an instant connection with the fans.
The former Indian cricketer feels that Samson’s story sets him apart because of the ups and downs and the weight of expectations he had to handle.
“Sanju Samson is a fantastic story, I feel. Yes, he played those amazing innings. He is someone who was always an enigma. People loved him. For me, he is the most loved cricketer.”
“Virat (Kohli), Rohit (Sharma), (MS) Dhoni, he seems to have that kind of following. There’s something about the way he carries himself. What I liked about the story is that he’s seen a lot of ups and downs. The weight and the burden of expectations was not easy for him, even though he’s so talented. That day, that ground, after almost three months of pounding into it, they did Cal,” Karthik said.
SAMSON REGULARLY FROM THE START?
Samson entered the tournament after struggling in the New Zealand series, scoring just 46 runs in five matches. Despite this, Karthik said he would stick with the wicketkeeper right from the start of the T20 World Cup 2026, purely for the sake of matches.
Indian batsmen, especially left-handers, have struggled with off-lines, a problem that Samson’s presence has seemingly neutralized.
“I’d go for him purely for the matchups. India were really worried about the off-spinners. They didn’t get the kind of starts they have all the time. The pitches were tough but they want to live up to the reputation and that didn’t work. Abhishek was troubled by the off-spinners. He didn’t have the conviction he normally has. I feel it might have something to do with his timing. He’s missing a bit of muscle,” Karthik said.
India will face England in the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup T20 2026 on March 5 in Mumbai.
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Published on:
March 4, 2026 11:57 AM IST
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