Sanju Samson, once sidelined and struggling for chances in international cricket, saw a career turnaround with captain Suryakumar Yadav and head coach Gautam Gambhir’s support.

Speaking on R. Ashwin’s YouTube channel, Sanju recalled how Surya promised him seven straight innings as opener. However, after two consecutive ducks in Sri Lanka, he felt dejected until Gambhir told him, “I’ll only drop you if you get out for a duck 21 times.”

That vote of confidence freed him from pressure, and he went on to score three centuries in his next seven matches, two of them overseas, becoming India’s top T20I run-scorer since his return.

So far, Sanju has 861 runs in 42 T20Is and averages 56.66 in ODIs, proving how trust from a mentor can change a player’s fortunes.