Indian cricket legend Sunil Gavaskar reserved special praise for Sanju Samson after the Kerala batter delivered a stunning Player of the Tournament campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. Gavaskar even compared Samson’s elegant stroke play to two of the game’s greatest batters — Viv Richards and Mahela Jayawardene.

Writing in his column for Sportstar, Gavaskar highlighted how rare it is to see classical batting in the fast-paced world of T20 cricket. According to the former India captain, the shortest format often prioritises power hitting over technique, making Samson’s approach even more impressive.

“Purity of batting is generally a virtue in the longest format of the game, Test match cricket, and occasionally in the 50-over game, but hardly ever in the ultra-short format of the game,” Sunil Gavaskar wrote.

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However, Samson stood out by blending traditional cricketing shots with modern aggression. Gavaskar particularly admired the way Samson executed pull and hook shots throughout the tournament.

“Samson provided that in all his three fifty-plus innings in playing classical cricket shots, along with some of the most imperious pulling and hooking seen in recent times,” he added.

The legendary batter was especially impressed with how Samson handled short-pitched bowling. Gavaskar noted that Samson’s commanding pull shot against England pacer Jofra Archer reminded him of Richards at his dominant best. At the same time, Samson’s smooth timing and composure at the crease evoked memories of Jayawardene’s elegant style.

Samson’s remarkable tournament was defined by three crucial innings that helped power India to the title. His unbeaten 97 against the West Indies national cricket team kept India alive in the Super 8 stage during a challenging chase of 196. He followed it up with a blistering 89 against England national cricket team in the semi-final at Wankhede Stadium, helping India post a massive total.

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In the final at Narendra Modi Stadium, Samson once again delivered under pressure, smashing 89 off 46 balls against the New Zealand national cricket team to lay the foundation for India’s imposing total of 255. Remarkably, Samson’s journey in the tournament began on the bench before injuries and tactical changes opened the door. He seized the opportunity brilliantly, finishing as the tournament’s standout performer and earning praise from one of India’s greatest cricket minds.