India and New Zealand will compete in the final match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 in Ahmedabad on March 8. In this high-voltage match, both teams will strive to put their best foot forward. India secured a place in the final by defeating England by 7 runs in a thrilling match at the Wankhede Stadium. However, ahead of the World Cup final, Rohit Sharma has once again become a topic of discussion due to Sanju Samson, who was excellent against the West Indies and also played a brilliant knock against England in the second semi-final.

However, when Sanju Samson did not make it to the playing XI at the beginning of the T20 World Cup 2026, former Indian captain and tournament brand ambassador Rohit Sharma had an on-field conversation with him. This conversation happened before the match against the USA, where Sanju had to sit on the bench. 

 "Dukhi mat ho bhai. It is a long tournament, kabhi bhi mauka aa sakta hai. ("Don't be disheartened. It is a long tournament. You'll get your chance. The opportunity can come anytime)," Rohit had told Samson while hugging him.

See Also: Watch: International Cricket Council shares Rohit Sharma flashback video from ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024

Why Rohit Sharma had an on-field chat with Sanju Samson?

Rohit Sharma has faced similar situations several times during his international career when he was dropped from the playing XI. A similar situation happened with Sanju Samson, and now the former captain has revealed his intentions behind his conversation with the wicketkeeper.

In a video shared by the ICC on Instagram, Rohit said:

"I can sometimes feel the pulse of the player. I have been myself in that place where, you know, when I've been in a tournament like this, and my chances haven't come, it's important to stay focused and try and do the right things and not get frustrated with you not getting the opportunity, and that's what I felt with him."

He added: 

"Because he was consistently playing for India and then was dropped just before the World Cup started, you know, I just wanted to tell him that it's a long tournament and funny things have happened in the past, so I just wanted to reassure him that your chance would come. So it happened in the game where it was a crucial game for India, and he played a blinder."

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Sanju Samson played as an opener in the T20 series against New Zealand, but he completely flopped throughout the series, leading to the decision to have Ishan Kishan open alongside Abhishek Sharma in the World Cup. However, due to Abhishek Sharma's illness, Sanju Samson was included in the team, but he did not perform well.

But in Super-8, when South Africa beat India, the team management brought back Sanju Samson. This time, Sanju Samson capitalised on opportunities and scored an unbeaten 97 against the West Indies, leading the Indian team to the semi-finals. In the semi-finals, Sanju Samson once again displayed a powerful batting performance against England and played 89 runs innings. Now, fans are hoping Sanju performs well in the final so India can beat New Zealand and win the title.