'Sir called me even yesterday'; Player of the tournament Sanju Samson reveals 'Secret of Success'

AHMEDABAD: There was no surprise when cricket legend Ian Raphael Bishop announced the player of the tournament at this year's T20 World Cup. Kerala cricketer Sanju Samson was already in the dias, leaving the crowd in a frenzy. On expected lines, Sanju was declared the player of the World Cup for his consecutive half-centuries that even included a match-winning performance against the West Indies. It was nothing short of a resurrection for the Kerala player, who was destined to be benched for the World Cup following a shoddy tournament against New Zealand last month, which he described left him broke.

Sanju Samson:

“It now feels very surreal to me. The New Zealand series left me shattered. I knew it was over for me, and a return to the team seemed impossible. I am now revealing the name of the person whom I approached for respite. It was Sachin Tendulkar. I had long hours of conversation with him, and he talked in a way that saw confidence returning to me. Even yesterday, Sachin sir talked with me to boost my confidence and even asked how I was doing. When everything seemed over, God had another plan. I am planning to enjoy the current mood and will see what I do next after a few days.

In the last World Cup in 2024, I was part of the squad but could not play in a single match. I knew if I had to get into the team, hard work was necessary. All my efforts were put in to get into the squad. For days, I had visualised performing toply in the tournament. God is great."