Why did Sanju Samson return to India’s playing 11 in Super 8? Indian coach Gautam Gambhir now reveals his secret

Gautam Gambhir on Sanju Samson: Indian team won the trophy by defeating New Zealand by 96 runs in the final of ICC T20 World Cup 2026. The Indian team had to face defeat in only 1 match in this tournament. However, after that Team India started playing in a different style. Sanju Samson, the star player of the Indian team, scored half-centuries in the last 3 matches and led India to victory.

Due to his excellent performance, Sanju Samson got the Player of the Tournament despite playing only half the matches of the World Cup. Now Indian team coach Gautam Gambhir told why Sanju Samson was kept out of the initial matches.

Gautam Gambhir told why Sanju Samson was left out of playing 11

Indian team’s star player Sanju Samson was kept out of Team India from the initial matches. Now Indian team coach Gautam Gambhir told in a show of Geostar that he wanted to bring aggression in the opening pair and that is why Sanju Samson was kept out. Now Gautam Gambhir said that

“Many people will say that we included Sanju Samson in the top 3 because of left-handed batsmen but that was not the reason. We have always focused on batting fast in the last one to one and a half years. Sanju was not brought in to counter off-spin bowling.”

Indian coach Gautam Gambhir further said in his statement that

“A good batsman can play all types of balls. We wanted to play more aggressively in the first six overs. We know what Sanju Samson can do. No one doubted his ability. If he plays well, he can change the course of the match in the first six overs itself.”

Gautam Gambhir himself gave the news of Sanju Samson’s inclusion in the team in the gym session.

Indian team’s star player Sanju Samson himself told in the gym session before the match against Zimbabwe that he is a part of the playing 11 of Team India and he will have to be fully prepared for opening and keeping. Gautam Gambhir said during this time that

“I told him about it in the gym. We were training together and I told him that you will play against Zimbabwe. He said I am ready. That’s how we talk. It is not a head coach and player relationship. It is a relationship where most of the talking happens during the practice sessions.”