Gautam Gambhir Backs Sanju Samson, Hails Team Effort After Heroic Eden Gardens Win

Gautam Gambhir praised Sanju Samson’s match-winning 97* and highlighted India’s team effort and instinct-driven approach.

India head coach Gautam Gambhir praised Sanju Samson after his unbeaten 97 powered India into the semi-finals of the T20 World Cup. Speaking after the thrilling win over West Indies in Kolkata, Gambhir said he always believed the wicketkeeper-batter would deliver when the team needed him most.

Gambhir Backs ‘World-Class’ Sanju Samson

After Samson anchored the chase of 196 with a mature and controlled knock, Gambhir made it clear that the team never doubted his ability.

“He’s a world class player, we all know how good a player Sanju is,” Gambhir told reporters after the game. “It was all about backing him. When the team needed him the most – obviously today was the day – he showed his full potential.”

Gambhir highlighted the composure in Samson’s innings. He said the signs were visible in practice sessions even though the batter did not score heavily in the lead-up to the tournament.

“I actually felt that he never accelerated the innings,” Gambhir said. “It was just very normal cricketing shots and I never saw him muscling the ball as well. That is the kind of talent he has.

“Obviously he had a tough series against New Zealand, so sometimes it’s important to give him a break as well, because you want to get the guy off that pressure situation as well. And we always knew that whenever we needed him in the World Cup game, he’ll come and deliver it for us,” Gambhir concluded.

Powerplay Control Set The Platform For Win

While Samson grabbed the headlines, Gambhir also pointed to India’s disciplined start with the ball. Even though the team did not pick up early wickets, they kept the scoring in check during the powerplay.

“I thought we started off really well, especially when you play this kind of a game of this magnitude,” Gambhir said. “You’ve got to start off really well with the new ball, which Arshdeep and Hardik did.

“I think the way they started off in the first three overs was really good and then Axar bowled two overs in the powerplay, which was again a great job done by him. It’s never easy on this wicket on their ground to bowl two overs in a powerplay, but Axar did that really well.

“The powerplay didn’t go away from us, which was very important because once the powerplay goes away from you, it’s very difficult to control.”

India conceded only 45 runs in the first six overs, a phase Gambhir described as crucial in a high-pressure knockout-style encounter.

‘Peaking Is A Myth’: Gambhir On Instinct And Team Contributions

When asked if India were peaking at the right time after bouncing back from a loss to South Africa with two strong wins, Gambhir dismissed the idea.

“You’ve got to win every game that you represent your country,” he said. “There is nothing like peaking at the right time. It’s a short tournament, it’s a tournament that comes and goes very quickly. So you’ve got to try and play your A game every time.

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“I don’t believe in data, honestly. I’ve never seen the data. I don’t even know what data is all about. I absolutely do not believe it. Because I feel it’s more about instinct. I think T20 cricket is about instinct and backing your instinct as well.”

Gambhir also spoke about flexibility in batting roles. He cited Tilak Varma’s 15-ball 27 at No. 5 as an example of adapting to team needs.

“He’s batted out of his position,” Gambhir said. “He batted at No. 3 initially. But now when we’ve pushed him to five or six and see how he’s batted. So you’ve got that talent. You need to have that talent where you can bat out of positions. And more importantly, positions are overrated.”

Gambhir Acknowledges Small Contributions

He further emphasised the importance of small contributions, referring to Shivam Dube’s quick eight runs off four balls at the end of the chase.

“Look, now you’re talking about every contribution,” Gambhir said. “Because for too many years, we’ve only spoken about certain contributions. This is a team sport. And this will always remain a team sport.

“For me, I think Shivam’s… Those two boundaries are as important as Sanju’s 97. Because had Shivam not been able to hit those two boundaries. You wouldn’t have even spoken about Sanju.

“The big contributions make headlines but those small contributions help the team go across the line. That is the philosophy in the team.”

With the semi-final spot secured, Gambhir made it clear that India’s focus remains on collective effort, instinctive cricket, and delivering in every match rather than chasing narratives.