‘That was the turning point’: Gautam Gambhir reveals the moment that changed India’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign cricket news
New Delhi: Chief Coach of India Gautam Gambhir It has been revealed sanju samsonThe match-defining 97 against West Indies proved to be the turning point in India’s victorious campaign at the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.Go beyond limits with our YouTube channel. Subscribe now!India completed a memorable campaign on home soil by defeating New Zealand in the final in Ahmedabad to win their third title in the tournament. Reflecting on the journey, Gambhir said that Samson’s innings in a tense chase against West Indies changed the momentum of the entire tournament for India.
“It’s very difficult to say, but I still believe that Sanju’s 97 against West Indies was the turning point of this campaign. It was a virtual quarter-final. Chasing 195 in a World Cup game is never easy, no matter the ground,” Gambhir said on Geostar.According to the former opener, Samson’s calm and controlled approach under pressure set the mood in the dressing room and gave the team confidence that the campaign was going in the right direction.Team India Report Card: A perfect end to a not-perfect T20 World Cup campaign“The ease and calmness with which he batted gave us a lot of confidence in the group that we are probably on the right track now. When Sanju stepped up and the way Ishan Kishan batted at number three, a lot of things really started taking shape,” he said.Gambhir described winning the World Cup as India’s head coach as an extremely emotional moment and said that the opportunity to once again contribute for the country at the national level was something he never expected.He said, “As a coach I could never have thought of winning the World Cup. I never thought that I would get the opportunity or privilege to become the head coach of the Indian team because to wear the India jersey again or do something special for the country is an absolute privilege.”
Suryakumar Yadav lifted the trophy along with Gautam Gambhir as the team members celebrated. (PTI photo)
The 2011 World Cup winner said representing India is a responsibility beyond individual milestones.“When your mother wishes you and says ‘Well done’, you play for that and live for that. What can be a bigger feeling than making 140 crore Indians proud,” Gambhir said.Gambhir said that throughout the tournament he repeatedly reminded the players that it is a privilege to be in the national dressing room.He said, “I have always believed and I have always told the boys too that being in that dressing room is a privilege, not a right. Thousands of people would like to be in my position as the head coach of the Indian team and many would like to be in the position that the players are in.”
India head coach Gautam Gambhir with captain Suryakumar Yadav. (Photo courtesy: BCCI)
He attributed India’s success in the shortest format to a fearless, high-impact approach.“From day one I strongly believed that the T20 format was going to make an impact. It’s not about milestones or individual performance. It’s about going out there and making an impact, be it on the field, with the ball or with the bat,” Gambhir explained.The head coach also highlighted the players’ willingness to adapt to different roles during the tournament, pointing to the captaincy Suryakumar Yadav Create an environment of acceptance of strategic changes for the benefit of the team.Gambhir said, “One thing that will stay with me throughout my life is how effortlessly the boys accepted different batting situations.”From Tilak Verma and Shivam Dubey, the roles are changing in the batting order. Jasprit Bumrah Performing well in every phase of the innings, Gambhir said the team’s adaptability was the defining characteristic of India winning the title.