Sanju Samson‘s return to T20I cricket after India‘s triumph in the 2024 World Cup didn’t go as he had hoped. However, a peculiar display of faith from head coach Gautam Gambhir gave him the confidence to play without pressure and eventually find his rhythm again.

During an interview on Ravichandran Ashwin’s podcast, Samson opened up about his rocky start to the comeback. In the early 2024 series against Sri Lanka, he was dismissed for a duck in both matches. These back-to-back failures reminded him of his earlier struggles, when he often found himself dropped after just a few games. It was at this moment that Gambhir offered his support.

“I was feeling down in the dressing room, and Gauti bhai noticed. He asked me, ‘Kya hua?’ I told him I had two opportunities but failed to score. He replied, ‘Toh kya hua?’ and then added, ‘Only if you get 21 ducks I will drop you from the team,’” Samson said.

Samson said those words had a profound impact on him. “When a coach and captain talk like that, it instantly boosts your confidence. You can tell they truly believe in you and want you to succeed,” he shared.

Gambhir wasn’t the only one backing Samson. He also mentioned that Suryakumar Yadav had assured him of a series of seven matches as an opener during the Duleep Trophy. This opportunity came against South Africa and England, where Samson repaid the faith shown in him with two centuries in quick succession.

Since his debut in T20Is, Samson has played 42 matches, accumulating 861 runs at an impressive strike rate of over 152, with three centuries and two fifties. His first T20I century came against Bangladesh in Hyderabad, followed by two more against South Africa.

Looking ahead to the 2025 Asia Cup, Samson will be hoping that Gambhir’s words about “21 ducks” will continue to shield him from being dropped, and that his current form with the bat stays strong.