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India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson was recently seen chilling with fans at a local shop in Kerala after playing a crucial role for the Suryakumar Yadav-led side as the Men in Blue defended their T20 World Cup title. Notably, India defeated New Zealand in the final to clinch the T20 World Cup 2026 trophy.
After India's T20 World Cup triumph, Samson has returned to his hometown to spend some family time before the hectic Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026. The superstar batter will be seen featuring for Chennai Super Kings alongside MS Dhoni as the franchise traded him from the Rajasthan Royals with Ravindra Jadeja. A clip of Samson has gone viral on social media, where he was spotted at a small shop dressed casually in a black T-shirt and pants.
Despite getting the attention, Samson was seen calm, composed and happy to interact with people around him. He first posed for photos with the shop staff, who excitedly took selfies with him. Soon after, a few fans gathered and Samson happily joined them for more pictures, making the moment special for everyone there.
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Samson's role in T20 World Cup 2026
Samson played an important role in India’s T20 World Cup 2026 triumph. Although he wasn’t part of the starting XI at the beginning of the tournament, he made the most of the chances he received and delivered several strong performances when the team needed him.
In fact, Samson ended up as India’s highest run-scorer in the tournament even though he played only five matches. He scored 321 runs at an impressive average of 80.25, which earned him the Player of the Tournament award.
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How did Kerala welcome Samson after World Cup win?
After returning to Kerala, Samson also received a warm welcome at the airport on Monday evening. Kerala’s Education Minister V Sivankutty was present to greet him, while hundreds of cricket fans gathered outside the airport to cheer for the star player and celebrate his success.
Later, Samson also spoke about how he changed his approach to batting before the World Cup. He explained that earlier he tried to attack almost every ball, which often led to him getting out quickly.
“I tried to hit every ball, but it didn’t work. Then I had to learn from those failures. In the five-match series, I tried to increase my strike rate, but it did not work. Then I prepared with a different game plan for the World Cup," Samson said.
Samson will now be seen in action on March 30 as Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will start their campaign against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati.
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