A player’s captain, Rohit Sharma, will always hold a special place in the hearts of millions of Indian fans, and his words of wisdom to Sanju Samson have proved to be right on the money. Sanju Samson finally got the opportunity, and he seized it in some style.
Sanju Samson’s innings against the West Indies shall always be remembered as one of the greatest innings played during run chases. He has been compared to the standards of the great Virat Kohli, as his innings was sublime and flawless.
Samson not only played a masterclass innings but also stayed throughout the 20 overs of the Indian innings and took India home, reminding the Indian fans of former T20I legend Virat Kohli, who is known to have done this on multiple occasions.
“Don’t be disheartened,” Rohit Sharma’s invaluable advice to Sanju Samson pays off
Sanju Samson, despite form, was not considered for the opening spot in the Indian T20I side and was replaced by Shubman Gill throughout 2025. Since he was removed from opening the innings, Samson soon went out of touch and failed to fire against New Zealand as well.
At the start of the World Cup, the Indian players, including Sanju Samson, were spotted speaking with former Indian captain Rohit Sharma, who was part of the opening ceremony at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium as the ambassador for the ICC.
Rohit had then said to Sanju Samson that he should not be disheartened, as he would get his chance in the long run, since it is a very long tournament with several matches.
“Kaisa hai (How are you?). Dukhi mat ho (Don’t be disheartened)—it’s a long tournament—you will get your chance,” said Rohit Sharma to the Indian opener.
ICC applauds Sanju Samson on stupendous World Cup innings, uses Rohit Sharma’s reference
The ICC went on to applaud the Indian opener after his splendid innings. They made a video celebrating his knock against the West Indies. The video was uploaded on ICC’s official Instagram handle.
The video starts with Rohit Sharma, the former skipper, sharing a warm hug with Sanju Samson during India’s first game of the tournament against the USA. The invaluable words of the former captain could then be seen as paying off, when the video shows a transition to Day 23 of the World Cup, where Samson finally gets his chance.
Samson was backed into the team against Zimbabwe, and he gave India a good start at the top. But this time, he just did not give them a chance in the game, but rather helped them to enter the semi-finals.
View this post on Instagram
Will Sanju Samson’s form help India oust Abhishek Sharma from the XI
Sanju Samson’s stunning form in the shortest format of the game could help India in many ways. If the opener can take on the driving seat for India, then Abhishek Sharma, the other opener who has been largely out of touch in this tournament, could be dropped by the Indian management.
Samson hitting form could mean that he can be placed alongside Ishan Kishan from the semi-final. Though Abhishek has a great record against England, his World Cup numbers are a major concern for Team India. Rinku Singh could be brought in to strengthen their lower order.
ALSO READ: Sanju Samson, the new Virat Kohli! India, Pakistan legends in awe after T20 World Cup masterclass
