Indian wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson’s long wait to return to Team India’s playing XI finally ended on Friday. Samson was given the opportunity to open the innings in the fifth and final T20 match against South Africa. He made the most of the opportunity, playing a brilliant innings and giving the team a strong start.
Sanju Samson’s heart-warming gesture for little fans
Samson played a quick innings of 37 runs in 22 balls with the help of 4 fours and 2 sixes. Returning to the playing eleven after a long time, Samson looked very confident and played a key role in laying the foundation for a big score for the team. Batting first after losing the toss, India scored 231 runs for 8 wickets. In India’s innings, Tilak Varma scored 73, Hardik Pandya 63, Sanju Samson 37 and Abhishek Sharma 34 runs.
In reply, South Africa could only manage 201 for 8 in 20 overs. Quinton de Kock scored 65 runs, but India’s bowlers performed brilliantly. Varun Chakravarthy was the main wicket-taker, taking 4 wickets. India won the match by 30 runs and won the 5-match series 3-1. (The fourth T20 in Lucknow was abandoned due to fog.) After the match, Hardik Pandya was named Man of the Match and Varun Chakravarthy was named Player of the Series.
Sanju Samson gifted his gloves to the 2 little kids in Ahmedabad.
The humbleness and kindness of Sanju make him so special 🫡❤️pic.twitter.com/8fVJgAHQD9
— Tejash (@Tejashyyyyy) December 20, 2025
Samson is popular not only for his fielding and batting but also for his demeanor. He has a huge fan following, especially among children. After the match, Samson gifted his gloves to two young children. The children were overjoyed with the gift. A video of Samson’s kind gesture is rapidly going viral on social media, leaving his fans even more impressed.
Samson’s impressive comeback has further strengthened his case for the T20 World Cup 2026. It remains to be seen what role the selectors envision him playing in the upcoming series and the World Cup.