Sanju Samson Does Not Hesitate, Breaks Silence On Partnership With Abhishek Sharma: "We're Not Fire And Ice"
Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma formed an explosive opening partnership, spearheading India's charge to win the T20 World Cup 2026.
- Sanju Samson revealed the secret to success behind his T20I opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma
- "We are not fire and ice, we are fire and fire. We have a Kerala-Punjabi friendship," Samson said
- "We don't complicate. He asks, 'How's the ball coming?' I say it's coming normally, hit it for six," he added
No team has redefined the way T20 cricket is played in recent times more than Team India, and their fearless approach has been spearheaded from the top by swashbuckling openers Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma. After the twin retirements of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma from the shortest format, Samson and Abhishek have formed India's first-choice T20I opening pair most of the time. The duo played a crucial role in helping India win the T20 World Cup 2026, and Samson revealed the secret to success behind their partnership.
"We are not fire and ice, we are fire and fire. Sometimes he fires, sometimes I do. We have that kind of combination going. We have done this since 2024; we have a Kerala-Punjabi friendship in the middle," Samson said, speaking at the India Today Conclave.
Samson revealed that he and Abhishek do not complicate matters when out in the middle, keeping their communication simple.
"Everything comes pretty naturally to us, so we do not complicate it. He asks me, 'How is the ball coming?' I tell him that the ball is coming normally, hit it for a six. It is really simple with him.
"Abhishek is very brave and collected. I love his character. I really love the partnership with him on and off the field," Samson said.
Both Samson and Abhishek overcame their own difficulties en route to winning the T20 World Cup 2026.
Samson found himself out of the playing XI heading into the tournament after a poor run of form. However, the 31-year-old re-entered the team in the Super 8 stage and went on to slam incredible scores of 97*, 89 and 89 in India's final three matches. He ended up winning the 'Player of the Tournament' award.
Abhishek - the world's No. 1-ranked T20I batter - kicked off the tournament with three consecutive ducks. The left-hander, however, was backed by captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir throughout, and ultimately repaid the trust by hammering a 21-ball 52 in the final against New Zealand.
Sanju Samson
India Cricket Team