Sourav Ganguly fires shots at Shubman Gill while praising Sanju Samson’s heroics vs WI

Sourav Ganguly praises Sanju Samson: India have beaten West Indies by 5 wickets in a virtual quarter-final of the 2026 T20 World Cup at Eden Gardens, on Sunday. The Men in Blue have now qualified for the semi-final, joining the other three nations, South Africa, England, and New Zealand. India chased down the target of 196 with four balls to spare.

It was a Sanju Samson masterclass at the iconic chase last night, as India made a record for having the most successful run chase in T20 World Cup history. Sanju Samson’s unbeaten knock of 97* off 50 deliveries was the highest ever individual score made by an Indian batter in the T20 World Cup run chase.

Sanju Samson responds to all the critics

Sanju surpassed the record of former India captain Virat Kohli, who had scored 82 runs twice in a 160+ run chase for the India National Cricket Team against Australia and Pakistan, respectively. Praising his innings, former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly, who watched the entire Sanju Samson innings live from the stadium, shared his opinion on Samson’s amazing innings.

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The current Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president, Sourav Ganguly, while speaking with PTI, said, “What it teaches all of us is that the same boy could not find in the last six months, he was in-out either there was Ishan Kishan opening or somebody else coming in.”

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VIDEO | Kolkata: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly praises Sanju Samson for his match winning knock of 97 not out against the West Indies in the Super Eights clash of the T20 World Cup which powered India to the semifinal.

He says, “What it teaches all of us is that the same… pic.twitter.com/ftrFdZjtg9

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) March 2, 2026

He added, “Just before the World Cup, I used to go through media headlines that said Sanju fails again, he should not be deserving a place in the side, India has so much talent, why is not Shubman Gill in the side and yet here is a boy in a quarterfinal game, gets 97 and takes you to the semifinal.”

Is this Sanju Samson's redemption?

Samson has been one of the unluckiest cricketers for India. Despite making his debut back in 2015, he has featured in 60 T20Is for the side. He has been in and out of the team, though, doing well and never getting any major backing. Similarly, he had a sensational 2024, scoring three hundreds.

Later on, after a sensational year, Sanju was removed from the opening position to bat in the middle order to fit in Shubman Gill in the side, and was dropped from the side. The Kerala-born batter had a torrid 2025, in which his average dropped from 43.60 to 20.18.

Sanju Samson chose a bigger occasion to display his talent

However, despite starting to open again in 2026 could not find his rhythm back and was dropped from the side as Ishan Kishan opened the innings with Abhishek Sharma in the T20 World Cup. But destiny had other plans. First, Abhishek Sharma had a stomach bug when Sanju played a game against Namibia, scoring 22 off 8. However was dropped in the following game.

Then Rinku Singh had to return home due to a family emergency ahead of the Zimbabwe match, and Sanju made it to open yet again, and he got the start against the Chevrons, but could not convert it. Samson chose a bigger occasion in a must-win game against the West Indies and helped his side qualify for the semi-final.

Also Read: Sanju Samson, the new Virat Kohli! India, Pakistan legends in awe after T20 World Cup masterclass