Suryakumar Yadav has opened up on one of the most difficult decisions he made during India’s title-winning 2026 T20 World Cup campaign, revealing how Sanju Samson responded when he was left out of the playing XI.Samson entered the tournament struggling for form and did not initially feature in India’s plans. Ishan Kishan had impressed at the top during the series against New Zealand and was preferred ahead of him, leaving Samson to wait for his opportunity.But India’s slow start to the World Cup, coupled with Abhishek Sharma not being fully fit and the team’s struggles against off-spin, eventually brought Samson back into contention. Once given the chance, the wicketkeeper-batter completely transformed his campaign.Samson produced crucial back-to-back performances in the knockout stages to help India win the World Cup and was subsequently named Player of the Tournament. He finished with 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25, while his strike rate of 199.38 underlined the impact he made during India’s title-winning campaign.
Suryakumar reveals Samson’s response
Suryakumar, who captained India during the tournament, recalled speaking to Samson after the decision to leave him out.Rather than expressing frustration, Samson told his captain that he would continue preparing as though he were going to play and would be ready whenever the team needed him.“We were on the bus, and I told him that it was going to be difficult with how it was going. He told me just one thing: do whatever you feel is right to make this team win the World Cup. He said he is there whenever I need him, as he will prepare as if he were going to play. I gained a lot of confidence hearing that. Aise bhi log hote hain life mein (There are people like this too),” Suryakumar said on Aakash Chopra’s YouTube channel.For Suryakumar, the decision was particularly difficult because he had previously backed Samson during a lean period and assured him that he would receive an extended run.
‘That was my toughest call’
The former India captain recalled Samson’s struggles during the 2024 tour of Sri Lanka, when the batter failed to score heavily before seeking advice from Suryakumar during the Duleep Trophy in Anantapur.Suryakumar said he and the coach had confidence in Samson and promised him a long run in the side.“That was my toughest call because I knew that he was a good person. We went to Sri Lanka in 2024, and he did not score a lot of runs there. He asked me what he should do. We were playing the Duleep Trophy in Anantapur. I told him I had confidence in him and that the coach had shown it as well. I assured him that he would play the next seven matches, and even if he scored seven ducks, he would still play the eighth,” he added.The faith eventually appeared justified on the biggest stage. Samson went from being outside the XI at the start of the World Cup to becoming one of India’s most important players in the knockout rounds.
From World Cup hero to uncertain future
Samson’s situation has once again become complicated after the World Cup. The IPL took place after the T20 World Cup, and Samson enjoyed a productive campaign, scoring 477 runs across 13 innings at an average of 47.7. Yet his strong IPL season has not translated into a secure place in India’s T20I setup.After just three failures on the Ireland and England tour, Samson was dropped from the playing XI and was also not included in India’s squad for the Zimbabwe tour. He did, however, feature in the fifth and final T20I against England.His immediate future with the national side remains uncertain, although he has been included in India’s squad for the upcoming Asian Games.
