New Delhi: When Sanju Samson stepped up after his match-winning knock of 97 against West Indies, it was not just a comeback but the fulfillment of a promise made at the start of the T20 World Cup.
Although Samson has been India’s first choice for the T20I opener for more than a year, he found himself omitted from the starting XI for the tournament opener against the United States (USA) at the Wankhede Stadium. Ishan Kishan’s strong form means Samson will have to wait.
What happened next is now going viral.
Before that opener, Rohit Sharma walked up to Samson, put his arm around him and said something that would define the rest of his game.
“Kaisa hai? Dukhi mat ho bhai. It’s a long game, kabhi bhi mauka aa sakta hai (“How are you? Don’t lose heart. It’s a long game. Opportunities will come anytime),” Rohit said to Samson, according to a video posted by the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) official Instagram account.
At this moment, Samson was aside. But Rohit’s assurance proved prophetic.
Samson returned after India’s loss to South Africa opened the door for change. He started with a stellar cameo against Zimbabwe and went on to write greater works – an unbeaten 97 under pressure and a formidable 196-run chase against the West Indies, sealing India’s most successful run chase in T20 World Cup history.
His journey up to that point had been anything but easy.
At the beginning of the season, his ranking was pushed down during the Asian Cup, which disrupted his rhythm. What followed was a tough New Zealand series, with scores of 10, 6, 0, 24 and 6 prompting criticism and questions.
But Samson never stopped watching, learning, and believing.
He admitted the impact of Rohit and Virat Kohli after their masterclass performance against West Indies.
“Playing in the IPL for about 10-12 years and being with the Indian team for the last 10 years… I am not always playing but I am observing from the dugout and learning from great players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma. It is very important to observe, learn and understand what they are doing,” Samson said.
From being dropped to delivering the most memorable knock of India’s T20 World Cup campaign, Samson’s resurgence now bears the stamp of a Rohit hug and those four simple words – “Dukhi mat ho bhai”.
India beat the West Indies by five wickets to reach the semi-finals and will face England on Thursday at the Wankhede Stadium – a pitch where Samson had watched from the sidelines, waiting for his moment.
