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Indian wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has been one of the most consistent performers for the national side in T20Is over the past year.

Despite making his India debut in 2014, Samson struggled for a decade to secure a regular spot. However, things took a positive turn after Gautam Gambhir took over as head coach, a change that Samson says transformed his career.

Samson shared that his turnaround began when Suryakumar Yadav, as T20I captain, gave him the chance to open the innings.

Unfortunately, in his first two games against Sri Lanka, he was dismissed for a duck on both occasions. Feeling disheartened, Samson was approached by Gambhir in the dressing room.

“Then I played 2 games in Sri Lanka and I got a duck in two games – I was a bit down; that’s when Gauti bhai saw me. He came up to me and asked, ‘What happened?’ I told him that I didn’t capitalise on the chances I got, and he was like, ‘So? I will remove you from the team only if you score 21 ducks.’ That kind of confidence from the captain and coach helped me to do what I did later on,” Samson revealed during a conversation with Ravichandran Ashwin on his YouTube channel.

Those words, Samson says, completely shifted his mindset.

With the backing of both his captain and coach, he went on to score three T20I centuries in the following year, cementing his place in the squad. Since his T20I return, Samson has outscored every other Indian player — a feat made possible by the strong support he received from Suryakumar and Gambhir.

Heading into Asia Cup 2025, Samson is set to open the batting once again, carrying with him the belief instilled by his mentors.