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    STUMP VISION                                                           MARCH 20, 2026      |  The Indian Eye 40

                        Sanju Samson’s World

             Cup Redemption: From the

                Shadows to the Silverware

                   During his lean patch, Samson sought wisdom from the God of cricket himself, Sachin Tendulkar.

                              They shared deep technical and mental conversations about the flow of the game

                                                                                                                  lowed that with a blistering 89 off 42
                                                                                                                  against England in the semi-final at
                                                                                                                  Wankhede, showcasing a strike rate
                                                                                                                  that left world-class bowlers looking
                                                                                                                  helpless.

                                                                                                                  The fairy-tale ending arrived
                                                                                                                  in the final against New
                                                                                                                  Zealand, the very team that

                                                                                                                  had nearly broken his spirit
                     ARCHAN MEHTA
                                                                                                                  months earlier. Samson’s 89
                  he 2026 T20 World Cup will                                                                      off 46 balls anchored India to
                  go down in history as the
            TSanju Samson Tournament.                                                                             a winning total, completing a
            To any cricket pundit, Samson has                                                                     knockout run of 97, 89, and
            always been a what if player, some-
            one with immense natural timing                                                                       89. He finished with 321 runs
            but inconsistent results. He didn’t                                                                   at an average over 80 and a
            even start in India’s first-choice XI
            for this campaign. Yet, by the time          In 2026, when Abhishek Sharma fell ill during the knockouts,    strike rate near 200.
            the final fireworks faded in Ahmed-
            abad, he was the Player of the Tour-                  the door finally opened (ANI Photo)                 Beyond the staggering stats,
            nament. It was a classic sporting                                                                     Samson’s 2026 campaign is a mas-
            comeback: a player who began as       During this dark patch, Sam-  and other days they are empty. The   terclass in resilience. He showed the
            a benchwarmer ended as a nation-  son sought wisdom from the God of   only  thing  a  fisherman  can  control   world that a player’s value isn’t just in
            al hero, proving that in T20 cricket,   cricket himself, Sachin Tendulkar.   is his preparation and his courage   the runs they score, but in the charac-
            form is temporary but class and a bit   They shared deep technical and men-  to head back out the next morning.   ter they show when everyone else has
            of grit is permanent.             tal  conversations  about  the  flow  of   This  “fisherman’s  philosophy”  be-  stopped believing
                The road to this glory was paved   the game. Tendulkar reminded him   came Samson’s mantra. He realized   In the world of cricket, they say
            with  heavy  disappointment.  Just   that cricket, much like life, is about   that his failures against New Zealand   fortune favors the brave, but in the
            months earlier, Samson endured a   staying present. Even on the eve of   were just empty nets, and as long as   stadium of life, it’s the one who re-
            nightmare series against New Zea-  the  final,  a  phone  call  from  Sachin   he kept his boat ready, the tide would   fuses to quit who wears the crown.
            land, managing only 46 runs across   provided the tactical clarity Samson   eventually turn in his favor.  Sanju Samson didn’t just play a
            five  innings.  For  a  middle-order   needed  to block  out the noise of   The turning point was a mix of   tournament; he wrote a blockbuster
            batter, those are career-threatening   86,000+ fans. This mentorship, com-  destiny and preparation. Samson had   where the hero was beaten, bruised,
            numbers.                          bined  with  the  unwavering  support   been a silent member of the 2024 win-  and cast aside, only to rise from the
                Mentally drained and fearing his   of the senior dressing room, helped   ning squad, never playing a game but   ashes when the lights were brightest.
            international dreams were over, he   Samson  transition  from  a  state  of   constantly visualizing his moment. In   The script might have been written
            lost his spot to Ishan Kishan. Watch-  mental breakage to one of absolute   2026, when Abhishek Sharma fell ill   by destiny, but the climax was signed,
            ing from the sidelines as the World   competitive focus.            during the knockouts, the door final-  sealed, and delivered by the Prince of
            Cup began, Samson was the forgot-     Samson also drew strength from   ly opened. Samson didn’t just walk   Kerala himself.
            ten man of Indian cricket. For a play-  his roots in coastal Kerala. His grand-  through it; he kicked it down. In the
            er who had spent years drifting in and   father, a fisherman, used to tell him   quarter-final  against  the  West  In-  Archan Mehta is a writer dedicated to
            out of the squad, it felt like the same   that the sea is unpredictable; some   dies, he smashed an unbeaten 97 off   telling compelling stories about ath-
            old story of unfulfilled potential.  days  the  nets  are  heavy  with  fish,   50 balls to chase down 196. He fol-  letes, teams, and the world of cricket.

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