Tag Archives: sanju samson

The Mumbai Indians- Hardik Pandya Furor

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As I write this blog, MI have been knocked out of IPL 2026. They are wallowing at the 9th position and may well hit bottom if they lose their final match. A repeat of the disastrous 2024 season. In a way, MI stocks on IPL Dalal Street have crashed. But this had happened earlier also in 2022 under the leadership of Rohit Sharma. His 11 years at the helm saw the franchise win 5 trophies but also not qualify for the playoffs on 4 occasions. So why the furore over Mumbai Indians’ despondent season and especially regarding Hardik Pandya’s captaincy.

Let’s travel back to November 2023. Rohit Sharma is the captain of the Men in Blue for the ICC ODI WC being held in India. After a stellar performance by the team, India falters in the final vs Australia. The skipper has himself been the top scorer in the tournament with 648 runs in 9 innings with an amazing 5 centuries. A few days later the MI Management announces that Hardik Pandya will be the new MI captain for IPL 2024; the much-loved Rohit bhai has been ousted. The anger of MI fans and cricket lovers from across the country rages across social media. The MI Head Coach Mark Boucher tries to calm the storm by calling it ‘a purely cricketing decision’ and for ‘allowing him to thrive purely as a batter.’ The totally forgetful 2024 IPL season is only remembered for the vehement booing of Hardik Pandya and the owners (Mukesh Ambani family) by the fans at the Wankhede stadium.

What sparked the sustained backlash?! The covert way it was done. An All-Cash Deal of Rs 15 crs to get Pandya back from Gujarat Titans with a captaincy clause thrown in. Presumably, the MI Management thought that Rohit’s days as captain were over and who better than to have the all-rounder who had led GT to the 2022 IPL title and the final a year later. But the Unsportsmanlike Vibes of the entire episode could not be shrugged off. The Hitman had led MI from 2013, and Hardik had joined the team as a newbie in 2015. In 2016, he had a poor tournament and was even benched midway for a few matches. The story goes that MI were prepared to trade the all-rounder for the 2017 season, but the captain stepped in and convinced the franchise management of his potential. Suffice to say that Hardik’s best years at MI and for India happened under Rohit Sharma’s leadership. However, his arrogance and self-centred attitude did not even allow for a graceful transition of captaincy.

Take Sanju Samson’s move from RR to CSK for IPL 2026. Many expected him to take over the reins from Ruturaj Gaekwad. Listen-in to Samson, ‘I am here to play for my team. I’ll play for my captain Ruturaj.’ He went on to praise Gaekwad’s assured captaincy and how it gave him the freedom to play without fear. Small wonder that Samson has broken Dhoni’s long-standing record for the franchise- 477 runs in 13 matches as WK- batsman vs Thala’s 461 runs in 2013. This is pure sporting spirit.

In a sense, the MI owners are also in the dock for this entire episode. The billionaire family are the owners and have every right to change the captain of their franchise team; but surely not this way-like a midnight coup. A Captain who had led your team for 11 years and to 5 titles surely deserved better. A Mentor to your senior players like Bumrah, SKY and Hardik Pandya himself surely deserved better. At the very least, a warm, heartfelt ceremony to highlight the transfer of captaincy would have been expected. The Ambanis treated it just like another business deal, albeit a high-profile transaction. In their ivory tower, they did not realise that cricket is much more than a mere sport in India. Players like Thala Dhoni (CSK), King Kohli (RCB) and Rohit Sharma (MI) have a passionate fan following much beyond the franchise domain.

Rohit bhai has become an emotion. For MI fans he is ‘Mumbai cha Raja’. The owners are realising their blunder too late and instead of owning up are rolling out an elaborate PR campaign. So, we are shown Nita Ambani in an animated discussion with Hardik Pandya with Tendulkar and Rohit Sharma listening in; we have Akash Ambani walking out before the end of the match with a disconsolate look on his face. Listen up, the owners have scored the self-goal. Such is the power of the Ambanis that well-known cricket experts are tiptoeing around the mess. We have Harsha Bhogle who says that he feels very sad for Hardik Pandya; sadly, we have R Ashwin opining that ‘to pin the blame on Hardik is a bit too much. Nobody turned up.’ Seriously?! If players are not performing, isn’t the captain accountable?! Out of their 4 wins this year SKY has led MI in 2 matches and Bumrah in 1 match with Hardik sitting out due to injury. Period. Finally, he ends up spilling out the truth- ‘it’s not easy to replace Rohit Sharma.’ The money and power of the franchise owners is so palpable that even ex-cricketers and commentators are afraid to call a spade a spade. The very apparent rifts and tensions in the MI dressing room are being dismissed as ‘rumours’. If the MI Icon and Mentor Sachin Tendulkar has remained silent on the abrupt removal of Rohit as captain, then one can understand The Sounds of Silence.

A few exceptions like K Srikanth and Murali Kartik are speaking out. The former has called out Pandya’s ‘Dabba captaincy’ and questioned why he is not bowling in the death overs. Kartik has clearly said that ‘bringing in Hardik to replace Rohit Sharma as captain has alienated senior MI players and damaged dressing room culture.’ MI management also did not factor in the captaincy aspirations of SKY at the franchise since 2012 & of Bumrah at MI since 2013.

The BCCI and Indian Selectors have acted far more sensibly. On the 29th  of June 2024, Rohit Sharma lifted the T20 WC trophy after India beat South Africa in Barbados; on the 9th March 2025, the Men in Blue beat New Zealand in the final of the ODI ICC Men’s Champions Trophy in Dubai with Rohit Sharma at the helm. Egg on the faces of the MI Management and the owners!!! The legendary Head Coach Rahul Dravid has revealed that it was the India captain who persuaded him to remain as Head Coach after the heartbreak in the 2023 ODI final vs Australia. He has also mentioned that ‘he loved Rohit’s captaincy as he took responsibility for setting the tempo himself rather than asking others to do’; and ‘that he would miss Rohit as a person.’  His opening partner Shikhar Dhawan has called him ‘a gem of a person.’ Harbhajan Singh has said that ‘you will not find a better  insaan’ (Human being) amongst current Indian cricketers’; Bumrah has said again and again ‘that I was privileged to play under his captaincy.’ Sanju Samson holds him in highest regard for ‘his communication, empathetic leadership and personal encouragement’; Kuldeep Yadav has thanked him for his career revival; Mohammed Shami praises him as a selfless leader and the most dangerous white-ball cricket opener in the world; to the young Tilak Verma dedicating many of his match-winning performances to his elder bro and mentor Rohit Sharma. How could the MI Management have missed out on this humongous goodwill swirling around their captain Rohit Sharma?

Hardik Pandya is a top-class allrounder in white ball cricket. He has positively impacted many matches for MI, GT and in India colours.  But it needs to be said that at MI and at international level he had Rohit Sharma as mentor; at GT he had Ashish Nehra- motivator and a real cricketing brain. He has lakhs of fans rooting for him with hashtags like Justice for Hardik, Pandya the Legend and We Love Hardik. His fan following is a combo- for his cricketing skills and a cultivated rock-star and playboy persona. As far as cricket performances are concerned he is still not a legend like Kapil Dev; also, to be a true leader one has to earn respect and show character. The playboy image almost ruined his career in 2019 when he and KL Rahul appeared on the infamous Koffee with Karan show. Pandya came across as boastful, misogynist, sexist – bragging about his conquests of women and even showing his parents in a very disrespectful light. Crass, cringeworthy, he crossed all lines of decency. He and Rahul were called back from the Australia tour and temporarily suspended.

Hardik Pandya is only 32 years old. As a top-quality white ball cricketer, he has a few more years of good cricket left. He is in the dumps now, but who knows he may win the ICC 2027 ODI WC for his country. However, he must focus on his fitness and his game and re-set his mindset and even reinvent himself. Remember 12th July 1998. France defeated defending champions Brazil 3-0 to win their first World Cup. The OG Ronaldo, an all-time great, was a shadow of himself in the finals. The multifunctional striker was lambasted and derided and even accused of match-fixing. Much, much more than what Hardik Pandya has had to go through. In the 2002 FIFA WC Brazil lifted their 5th title beating Germany 2-0 in the finals in Japan. You guessed it!! Ronaldo scored both the goals and was declared Man of the Finals. Cricket or Football- fortunes change but only if the Champion players prepare for it and will it to happen.

So, what about Rohit Sharma? He is planning for his life beyond cricket. He will be hosting a talk show on Sony Liv. With his wry sense of humour and the Mumbaikar lingo he will ‘take some guests for a walk down the garden.’ But Indian cricket should not lose out on his vast experience, his cricketing brain and his mentorship aura. A stint as Head of National Cricket Academy for upcoming Indian cricketers automatically comes to mind. Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have made great contributions in this role. The roles of Head Coach, Chairman of Selectors or even President or Secretary of BCCI (sometime in the future) will seminally boost the growth, success and influence of Indian cricket.

Samson, Kishan & Bumrah

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Samson, Kishan & Bumrah

Why has Sanju Samson’s cricket triumph touched the hearts of millions and millions of Indian cricket lovers; from an understated cricketer to India’s T20 World Cup ‘26 HERO. The ‘Darling’ of Kerala Cricket fans, affectionately referred to as ‘Chetta’ (elder brother) by his throngs of supporters.

It’s because nothing has come easy for Samson. He has spent a lifetime preparing for this moment and during his decade long innings he has shown occasionally what he was capable of without being able to get the kind of success he deserved.

He made his IPL debut with Rajasthan Royals at the age of 18 and immediately caught the attention of experts and fans. He donned the Indian colours in 2015 and in his first 23 innings at the top order of the T20 team he scored only 1 fifty. IPL success did not guarantee international runs- so, the quiet and resilient wicket keeper-batter continued to toil in domestic tournaments in front of empty stadiums. Sanju Samson has often spoken about his acute desire to wear the Team India cap and win big trophies for his country; but to make the journey even tougher, along the way with ‘Road Closed’ signs stood the likes of Thala Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant and KL Rahul.

There is an emotional video where he speaks about the inspirational leader and big brother Rohit Sharma’s empathy and support for him. That heartfelt 10-minute talk before the 2024 T20 WC final where the captain acknowledged his contributions and personally explained the tough selection calls on why he was left out- this talk meant a lot to him: ‘Tera bhi time aayega’ (your time will come).

So, to the T20 WC earlier this year. Samson was on the bench in the opening matches. Then he dominated the Super 8’s and beyond- 97 not out against the Windies, a match defining 89 in a close win against England and finishing it off with another 89 vs NZ in the finals. 321 runs at an average of 80.25 with a staggering strike rate of 199.37. The undisputed Player of the Tournament and the Toast of an entire nation.

What happened? Sanju Samson finally found himself in a dressing room where the philosophy and vibes matched his own. The high risk-high reward batting where contributions were measured by impact and not individual milestones. So was born our national hero-who strove always for high impact and this time around carried the blessings of consistency.

Sanju Samson, a devout Catholic, has praised Jesus and made signs of the cross on the cricket field and has drawn inspiration from the Bible verse Philippian 4:13- ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.’

Another great source of strength has been his father Samson Vishwanath, a former Delhi Police Constable and a retired football player who represented Delhi in the Santosh Trophy. He played a pivotal role by leaving his police job and returning to Kerala when his son was rejected for the Delhi U-13 team. An intensely invested father- his focus was entirely in training Sanju and protecting him from setbacks in his early career. He insisted that his son closely watch icons like Tendulkar and Dravid on TV to develop a strong technique. Mentors matter whether it is on the sports field or off. Here the youngster was blessed- Dravid as his captain and coach at Rajasthan Royals, Rohit Sharma and his personal idol- MS Dhoni. Sanju Samson has spoken about his motivational call with Sachin Tendulkar during the T20 WC itself when he was feeling low and down.

Coming to Ishan Kishan, he played a key role in the T20 WC ‘26. 317 runs in 9 matches with an astounding SR (strike rate) of 193.29. His 77 against Pakistan and a 25-ball 54 in the finals were critical contributions. This was preceded by a stellar domestic season where he led Jharkhand to the T20 title in the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournament.

His has been a roller-coaster ride with controversy in the air. It will be fair to say that he is now astride the Redemption Arc. His talent was never in doubt as showcased by the 210 run rampage against Bangladesh in 2022 or the 103 off just 43 balls against New Zealand on the 31 Jan 2026- a week before the WC began.

His problems started in late 2023 when he pulled out of the on-going South Africa tour citing mental fatigue. He was later seen partying in Dubai and Mumbai. In early 2024 he was dropped from the BCCI Central Contract as he ignored the directives to play Ranji Trophy matches during his break from international cricket. Strong parental support brought him back on track. His father Pranav Pandey and Ishan himself have credited how reading the Bhagavad Gita helped him overcome his career turmoil and negative public scrutiny. His mother insisted that he carry a pocket edition of the scripture in his kit bag and he has often returned to the teachings in times of stress and anxiety.

An older generation is aware of how Indian cricket lost one of its finest talents in the early 90’s- Vinod Kambli to booze and partying with the wrong crowd. A recent example of things going wrong is Prithvi Shaw, hailed as a break-out star in 2018. In July 2019, his contract was suspended by the BCCI for doping violations. Then he totally lost it- a physical altercation with a social media influencer and her friends went viral on social media. Sad to say that as recently as December 2025 whilst representing Maharashtra he had an ugly fight with his former Mumbai teammates and was physically stopped from hitting one of them with a cricket bat. Prithvi Shaw is just 26 years old. Life has given him another chance. Delhi Capitals have recruited him for IPL 2026 for a price of Rs 75 lakhs. The moral of the story- the glamour, money and fame at top levels in Indian cricket and especially the IPL can easily lead youngsters astray.

The other fascinating takeaway from the success of Samson and Kishan is that Indian batters have taken T20 cricket to another level. Their strike rates almost touch 200. If Gill, KL Rahul or Ruturaj Gaekwad ( SR 138-143) aspire to get back into the format they will have to revamp their shots-gear box and move into a higher-level top gear.

Lastly enter Jasprit Bumrah. Picked up by the MI scouts and drafted for the team in IPL 2013. In the T20 WC ’26, he was the joint highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets and the Player of the Match in the finals with 4/15 vs NZ. He is a rare combination of pace (140+ kmph), lethal accuracy and unorthodox action which makes him difficult to read plus an exceptional death-overs bowler. Sadly, the unorthodox action has resulted in multiple injuries and surgeries with even a down-time of a year. Yet, James Anderson has called him ‘an absolute freak’ for his ability to nail lethal yorkers consistently. Damien Fleming is awed by ‘his curve ball slower delivery.’ Ricky Ponting calls him India’s greatest ever fast bowler-across formats- and that ‘his true value lies in making scoring runs very difficult for batters.’ Harsha Bhogle refers to him as ‘The Magician’ whilst accolades like ‘National Treasure’ and ‘Once in a Generation Player’ are floating all around. To add another dimension, Bumrah is also applauded for ‘his tactical genius in analysing pitch quality.’ Lest people forget, he was the Player of the Tournament in the 2024 T20 WC with15 wickets. In ICC ODI rankings he has held the top bowler slot for 730 days. In Test cricket he remains the No.1, with 234 wickets in 52 matches with a remarkable average of 19.79. Please check some fellow legendary bowlers – Marshall (20.94), McGrath (21.64), Akram (23.62), Murali (22.72) and Warne (25.41). Bumrah has played a seminal role in the Men in Blue’s big wins in SENA nations (South Africa-England-New Zealand- Australia).

Jasprit Bumrah lost his father at a very early age and has been brought up by his mother Daljit Kaur- a schoolteacher and Principal- in Ahmedabad. He attributes his success, focus, hard-work, discipline, passion and humility to his Ma’ji. He also embraces devout Sikh values and sacred teachings and has been quietly supporting many charitable causes -especially sponsoring education for under-privileged children.

Harsha Bhogle has revealed that before the IPL 2026 season, MI proposed to give the same pay cheques to Surya Yadav, Pandya, Rohit Sharma and Bumrah. Rohit bhai stepped forward for a pay-cut as Bumrah with his humungous contributions deserved more. Thus, for the first time has ‘Boom Boom’ earned the highest price-tag at his franchisee.

In Australia, Warne & McGrath are put on the same pedestal as Ponting. In July 2024, James Anderson was given a rousing, emotional farewell by a packed house at Lords. Murali and Wasim Akram are still revered by fans in their countries and far beyond. However, in India batters continue to dominate the headlines and public or fan consciousness. From the ‘Little Master’ Gavaskar to ‘The God of Cricket’ Tendulkar to ‘King Kohli’. RESPECT TO ALL.  Taking his match-winning performances and his drive to take India to the top of the cricketing world, Bumrah over the last couple of years has finally become the brand face of an eco-friendly travel gear brand-Uppercase, Skecher shoes, UNIQLO India clothing and for Sun Feast Yippee noodles.

Times are changing. From the Dravid- Rohit Sharma duo to the Sky-Gambhir Management, team effort is being highlighted, and top-class bowlers are finding their place under the bright Indian sun.

The stories of our three-impactful cricketers of the 2026 T20 WC have parallels and differences. But at the core, what they have each scripted are positive stories of grit and determination, faith and support, and self-belief. They represent real, inspiring life lessons.