Sanju Samson opens up about his heartfelt conversations with Sachin Tendulkar during the T20 World Cup 2026. The Indian opener emerged as the Player of the Tournament for his winning contribution to the team
Sanju Samson and Sachin Tendulkar (File Pic)
India's T20 World Cup star Sanju Samson opened up about his conversations with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar during the recent T20 WC. The Indian opener was dropped from the playing XI in the opening games of the tournament, but later emerged as the ICC Player of the tournament for his match-winning performances for India.
Sanju Samson was drafted back into the Indian playing XI after their Super-8 defeat to South Africa. After a long score against Zimbabwe, Samson returned to his best against the West Indies in India's must-win clash.
Samson's score of an unbeaten 97(50) against West Indies was followed by 89(42) vs ENG in the semi-final at the Wankhede Stadium. The Kerala-born star was yet again India's best batter in the final against New Zealand, scoring 89 runs in just 46 deliveries. Samson's match-winning performances earned him the Player of the Tournament trophy at the World Cup, despite playing only 4 matches.
During the trophy presentation, a visibly emotional Sanju Samson thanked god for his performances. He also revealed that he had constant contact with Indian legend Sachin Tendulkar during the tough times in the tournament.
“I reached out to Sachin Tendulkar when I wasn’t in the XI. He constantly guided me and helped me out. Even yesterday, he called me and checked upon me. I’m really grateful for that”. Sanju Samson said.
Samson said he was in a bad place mentally after being dropped on the eve of the World Cup, but his conversations with Tendulkar helped him get back to his best. Tendulkar's advice paid dividends as Samson guided India to back-to-back T20 World Cup wins.
Earlier, Shefali Verma revealed Sachin Tendulkar's impact on her World Cup-winning performance
The Indian Women's team won the ODI World Cup for the first time in November 2025. They defeated South Africa in the final by 52 runs, with Shefali Verma named Player of the Match for scoring 87 runs and taking two wickets.
Speaking after the match, Verma revealed that she was inspired by the talk she had with Sachin Tendulkar on the eve of the final.
"When I saw him (Sachin Tendulkar), it gave me an incredible boost. I keep talking to him, and he keeps giving me confidence. He is the master of cricket, and we keep getting inspired just looking at him," Verma said.
Shefali Verma and Sanju Samson have both praised Sachin Tendulkar's impact on their performances after World Cup triumphs. Despite his retirement in 2013, Tendulkar remains an influential character in Indian cricket.
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