Rohit Sharma Reveals Chat With Sanju Samson Over Non-Selection In T20 World Cup

One of the finest to play for India in white-ball cricket, Rohit Sharma knows what it means to wear the India shirt in a World Cup. Rohit wasn't picked for India's squad for the 2011 World Cup, the last 50-over World Cup that the country won. Earlier in his career, he too had to warm the bench, be ignored by selectors in a number of tournaments and series. Seeing India wicket-keeper batter Sanju Samson face selection snubs for a spot in the playing XI early in the ongoing T20 World Cup, Rohit had a heartwarming chat with him.

Samson was a part of the Indian team in the T20 World Cup 2024 but didn't get to play a single game. The opening batter might have feared that the 2026 campaign could turn out to be the same for him, as he was snubbed early on in the tournament. But, Rohit urged him to not lose hope as opportunities can come any time in a tournament like this.

"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 said in a video shared by ICC on Instagram.

Sharing some words of wisdom from his own experience, Rohit said that he can sometimes "feel the pulse of a player" and understand what they are going through.

"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," said Rohit in a video,

"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," said Rohit.

Topics mentioned in this article

India Cricket Team Sanju Samson Rohit Sharma T20 World Cup 2026 Cricket