In a startling revelation, Sanju Samson said he was supposed to play the T20 World Cup 2024 final against South Africa but was excluded from the XI moments before the toss in Barbados. Samson, who did not feature in any of the World Cup matches, said captain Rohit Sharma informed him about his and spent at least 10 minutes before the toss, trying to explain the rationale behind the last-minute change in India’s XI.
“I had a chance to play the final. I was told to stay ready. I was ready. However, they decided before the toss that we would go with the same team. I was like, no worries. I was in that type of mood,” Samson told journalist Vimal Kumar in an interview.
India picked Rishabh Pant as their keeper-batter throughout the tournament. The left-hander, who was making a comeback to international cricket after a long injury layoff, played some important knocks in difficult conditions in the group stage that took place in the USA but could not make any significant contribution to India’s cause in the business of the tournament which moved to the Caribbean islands. India played with the same XI in the Super Six stage and the knockouts.
Samson said Rohit walked up to him during the warm-ups before the final broke the news about his exclusion from the XI but came back again, trying to explain the reasons behind it.
“During the warm-up, Rohit took me to the side and started to explain to me why he is making that decision. He was like, You understood, na? You know his way, very casual? I told him, ‘Let us win the match and then talk.’ You focus on the match.”
He added, “He came back one minute later and said, ‘I know you are cursing me in your mind.’ I think you are not happy. I feel like you have something on your mind. Then we had a discussion. I told him, ‘As a player, I want to play’.”
‘I could not play a World Cup final under a leader like Rohit Sharma’
Samson said his only regret will be not being able to play a World Cup final under Rohit’s captaincy. Samson said Rohit spending time with him before the toss instead of focusing on the players who were going to play the final touched his heart.
“Since childhood, I wanted to come here and do something. Then he was like, ‘My pattern is like this’ and all that. I said I totally respect that you came and explained me. I said, ‘I will have a regret; I could not play a World Cup final with a leader like you.’ This will be a regret in my heart that I missed a World Cup final with a leader like Rohit Sharma. That will stay in my life.”
“After this, I thought, such a big thing like a World Cup final. Before the final, you have changed your decision. You spent 10 minutes with the player that is not playing just before the toss. He gave me 10 minutes before the toss. After that, I got to know this person has some other qualities.
“If I were in their place, I would be thinking about the players who are playing or my batting. I will explain to Sanju later; that is what normally you think. At that point, he thought ‘I have to explain to Sanju, why I took that decision.’ At that point, he won a place in my heart that will stay for a lifetime.”
