“The World Cup was done for me” – Sanju Samson on losing his place to Ishan Kishan

Sanju Samson (PC: Debasis Sen/RevSportz)

India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has opened up about one of the toughest phases of his career, revealing how he accepted that his chances of making India’s squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 were over after a poor series against New Zealand, in which he managed just 46 runs from five matches.

Speaking to JioStar, Samson said he understood why the team management backed Ishan Kishan. “He wasn’t even in the team,” he said. “He won Jharkhand the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy almost single-handedly, then came into the Indian team and was batting on a different level altogether. I could clearly see that Ishan was moving above me in the pecking order.”

Samson also admitted that his own performances left him with almost no hope. “You get five matches and score 24, 6, 6, 10 and 0,” he said. “Then another guy comes in, scores 70-odd straightaway, gets a hundred later in the series, and the next match is directly in the T20 World Cup. Anyone would prefer an in-form batter. It was clear that the World Cup was done for me. Whatever had to happen had happened, and the only thing I could do was sit quietly and clap.”

He also reflected on how quickly things changed after his performance at the T20 World Cup. “I realised I was overdoing it, and my wife was right. Being happy and mentally in a good space is much more important than putting in hours and hours of practice. The New Zealand series taught me that.”

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The post “The World Cup was done for me” – Sanju Samson on losing his place to Ishan Kishan appeared first on Sports News Portal | Revsportz.



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