Gautam Gambhir's straightforward view on Sanju Samson's redemption: ‘Not about me, it was all about...'

Team India head coach Gautam Gambhir praised wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson for his outstanding form in T20 cricket recently. Despite Samson's back-to-back centuries in T20 internationals, Gambhir humbly refused to take credit for his success. The retirement of senior players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja created an opportunity for Samson to shine, and he certainly made the most of it. Gambhir, along with Captain Suryakumar Yadav, played a crucial role in supporting Samson during his inconsistent performances on the Zimbabwe tour and in the initial T20 matches against Bangladesh. Their unwavering belief in Samson ultimately led to his redemption on the international stage.

Samson proved his worth with a 40-ball century against Bangladesh in the final T20I, and then he continued the same form on the South Africa tour with another brilliant ton.

Gambhir refused to take credit for Samson's redemption and said it was just about giving him the right number.

“Not at all; I think it’s nothing to do with me. I think it’s his ability. It was all about giving him the right number and backing him. I think ultimately it’s his hard work. What he is doing for Indian cricket is just the start; it’s not the end. Hopefully he can continue taking this form forward," Gambhir said about Samson during India’s pre-departure press conference in Mumbai.

In the first T20I against South Africa, Samson played a 107-run knock from 50 balls at a strike rate of 214.00 against the Proteas in Durban. He smashed seven fours and 10 sixes during his time at the crease. He stood tall when the other players kept losing wickets from the other end.

Meanwhile, Gambhir asserted that the recent performance of young players is a good sign for Indian cricket.

“For me, I think the good sign is that some of the young players are really coming through, which is always healthy and good for Indian cricket," he added.

Meanwhile, Tristan Stubbs scored a patient 47 not out off 41 balls as South Africa beat India by three wickets in the second Twenty20 on Sunday to level the four-match series 1-1.

India won the first T20 in Durban by 61 runs. The third game will be played in Centurion on Wednesday.