Sanju Samson put on the same pedestal as MS Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma

Former Team India wicketkeeper-batter Dinesh Karthik has showered praise on Sanju Samson ahead of India’s T20 World Cup 2026 semifinal against England. Karthik said that Samson’s fan following is comparable to some of the biggest names in Indian cricket, including Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, and Rohit Sharma.

Samson played a stunning innings to guide India to victory in a crucial match against the West Indies at the Eden Gardens. The Kerala batter scored an unbeaten 97 off 50 deliveries as India successfully chased down a target of 196. He recorded the highest score by an Indian batter in a T20 World Cup run chase.

Sanju Samson Seems to Have That Kind of Fan Following - Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik said that Sanju Samson has gone through many ups and downs in his career but continues to enjoy huge support from fans across the country. Karthik added that Samson’s popularity is comparable to that of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and MS Dhoni.

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“Sanju Samson is a fantastic story… He is someone who has always been an enigma. People have loved him. He is, for me, the most loved cricketer. Virat, Rohit, Dhoni, he seems to have that kind of fan following. There is something about how he carries himself," Karthik said on Sky Sports, as quoted by Sportskeeda.

"What I’ve liked in that story is that he has seen plenty of ups and downs. The weight and burden of expectations has not been easy on him, even though he is so talented. That day, that ground, after the three months he had, they almost had to thrust him in, and he did what he did in Calcutta," he added.

I Would Have Brought Him In - Nasser Hussain on Sanju Samson

Former England captain Nasser Hussain said that he would have included Sanju Samson in the team from the very first match of the tournament, even though the batter was not in great form.

Samson was initially left out of the playing XI but was brought into the side later in the tournament. The wicketkeeper-batter replaced Rinku Singh in the playing XI. He has been opening the innings with Abhishek Sharma, giving the team a right-left combination at the top.

"I would have brought him (Samson) in. But then Ishan Kishan, who was the in-form batter, has to move down to number three, so you are trying to solve a problem by moving someone else who is doing well," Hussain stated.

I Would Have Gone for Him Purely for Matchups - Dinesh Karthik on Sanju Samson

Dinesh Karthik stated that India’s decision to bring Sanju Samson into the playing XI was mainly based on matchups. The team had three left-handed batters at the top of the order, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, and Tilak Varma, which allowed opposition teams to target them with off-spin bowling.

Karthik stated that India introduced a right-handed option by sending Samson to open the batting to counter that strategy. He felt Abhishek lacked his usual confidence, adding that the illness might have affected his strength and overall performance.

"I would have gone for him purely for matchups. Off-spinners were really troubling India. They were constantly not getting those starts that they get. The pitches have been hard but they want to live up to the reputation and that did not work," Karthik opined.

"Off-spinners troubled Abhishek. He did not have the conviction that he normally has. I feel that's got to do with the fact that he got ill at the wrong time. I can look at him and feel like he lacks a bit of muscle," he added.

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