AHMEDABAD: There have been subtle changes for the better in Sanju Samson’s game. The T20 World Cup’s player of the tournament now has a remarkable steadiness when he plays his shots or is charging the bowler. The fidgety, twitchy version of Samson we saw earlier is gone.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The changes can be attributed to the lean run prior to the World Cup in the T20I series against New Zealand, which led to his omission from the squad and prompted serious introspection.With opposition teams targeting India with off-spin early in the Powerplay to neutralise left-hander Abhishek Sharma’s power hitting, and with Rinku Singh being under-utilised down the order, India rejigged their lineup and brought in Sanju.

Suddenly, the pieces seemed to fit and India had the perfect batting order for the occasion. Samson smashed three crucial, consecutive half-centuries, was India’s leading scorer with 321 runs from five innings and has probably hit upon the kind of consistency which eluded him for long periods of his career.Now, Samson is also the leading Indian run-scorer in a single edition of the T20 World Cup.ALSO READ: Team India Report Card: Perfect finish to a not-so-perfect T20 World Cup campaign“As soon as we brought him (back), the game changed completely (for us),” captain Suryakumar Yadav said.“He started batting differently. That was a positive call for him. I saw him working very hard. When someone doesn’t play, what he does (outside the playing field) is more important. He did everything he could for the team when he was not playing. The last three to four innings he has batted for the team, it is a result of all the hard work he has put in,” said Surya, highlighting the hard yards in the nets by the opener.One of Samson’s earliest coaches, Biju George, told TOI, “Every batsman over a long tournament brings in minute adjustments. He just kept faith in his ability and backed himself. He kept hitting straight and strong.”Sanju’s batting now has the distinct clarity it lacked earlier. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner said Samson had changed his approach from the bilateral series earlier.“Unfortunate for us, he was saving his runs for the World Cup. In a few of those games, he looked like he was trying to hit from ball one. Now, he gave himself a chance, gave himself a few balls. On these wickets, when you’re in, you can really cash in,” Santner said.

Syed Shahabuddin with Rachin Ravindra (Special Arrangements)

NEW DELHI: Do you still remember what happened to New Zealand all-rounder Rachin Ravindra in IPL 2024? Spin chewed his batting up and spat it out. And the situation became so severe that Chennai Super Kings (CSK) were forced to drop him mid-way through the season. As they say, time is the best healer. And for Ravindra, it has surely become one. Spin, once Ravindra’s archnemesis, has inflicted the same pain on batters who have padded up to face the Kiwi during this T20 World Cup, with his fingers doing all the talking with the ball.Also See: IND vs NZ Live Score T20 Wolrd Cup 2026 Final

Emerging as his team’s top-wicket taker (11) in this edition, Ravindra is now seeing things differently. While his batting pedigree initially dominated the limelight, two more dismissals in the final against India will be enough to make him New Zealand’s joint highest wicket-taker in an edition of the tournament. A single dismissal will result in Ravindra surpassing Daniel Vettori as the Black Caps’ most successful spinner in a T20 World Cup campaign. If we broaden the scale a bit, the left-arm finger spinner has accounted for 11 dismissals in 8 matches at an economy rate of 6.88, trailing the edition’s most successful spinners Varun Chakaravarthy and Adil Rashid by just two wickets.

‘Impact, role similar to Yuvraj Singh in WC 2011’

While Ravindra’s heroics may have caught the opposition and fans by surprise, Sriram Krishnamurthy, the global head coach of CSK academy, certainly isn’t one of them. Krishnamurthy, who has worked extensively with the 26-year-old cricketer, highlighted his bowling as one of the standout aspects from the beginning, terming it as something which came very naturally.

Syed Shahabuddin during a training session with Rachin Ravindra (Special Arrangements)

“Rachin is very good at reading the game. He’s not someone who bowls a lot during practice sessions. Yet, when he takes the ball, you know he’ll be able to do some special things. Rachin has excelled with the ball in the MLC and the Hundred, which makes his current performances no surprise. New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner has used him very well,” said Sriram during an exclusive interaction with TimesofIndia.com.“Every spell of Rachin has left an impact. One of the most noteworthy aspects has been the manner in which he has struck against left-handed batters, being a lefty spinner in an unfavourable match-up, which especially stood out in the semi-final against South Africa with David Miller’s dismissal. I don’t think many people would disagree that his impact and role has been similar to that of Yuvraj Singh in the 2011 World Cup,” he added.Ravindra has provided an edge to the New Zealand bowling attack, with his shrewd gameplay and quality preparation, which first reflected in the opener against Afghanistan in Chennai. The 26-year-old all-rounder was handed the ball in the 18th over, which could have backfired massively. However, Rachin kept the ball well out of the batters’ reach from the onset, and was duly rewarded with the dismissal of dangerman Gulbadin Naib off his second delivery. The New Zealand cricketer has observed Ravindra Jadeja closely at CSK, resulting in valuable inputs.

‘Hard grind in Hyderabad before T20 WC 2026’

Another significant factor behind Rachin’s current success is an intense one-month camp in Hyderabad before the T20 World Cup, where the all-rounder worked extensively on hitting the right areas and variations. The New Zealand cricketer trained under ex-Andhra Pradesh captain Syed Shahabuddin, who urged him to bowl stump-to-stump and as per the field placements.“Ravindra can be lethal with assistance from the wicket, considering his consistency. I had encouraged the CSK team management to give him more opportunities with the ball but he hardly got one to two overs. Santner and the New Zealand think-tank is showing great belief in Ravindra’s bowling, which has proved to be a game-changer,” shared Shahabuddin.

Syed Shahabuddin with Rachin Ravindra (Special Arrangements)

While the fingerspinner has impressed with his high-impact gameplay, he once lacked agility and speed which hampered effectiveness. Former New Zealand coach Glenn Pocknall played a key role in enabling Ravindra to bowl at a quicker pace and deliver longer spells by developing his strength. The all-rounder showcased great dedication, training for six hours a day.“I first saw Rachin bowl at 15 and was deeply impressed by his unbelievable control and aura. It is very challenging to face him on flat wickets as well as turning tracks because he can spin the ball hard and into the wicket. Ex-New Zealand spinner Jeetan Patel has guided him extensively and I fully expect Rachin to pose a threat against India,” shared Pocknall.

‘Varun Chakaravarthy would’ve picked 15 wickets playing in Sri Lanka’

Chakaravarthy’s personal coach AC Prathiban praised Ravindra’s tactical astuteness, highlighting the lack of room for batters as well as the crafty use of angles to exploit the longer ends of the ground. However, Prathiban also directed focus towards New Zealand playing a lot of matches in Sri Lanka, where the advantage of bigger boundaries comes into play.

Syed Shahabuddin during a training session with Rachin Ravindra

“Jasprit Bumrah and Varun would have picked 15 wickets at least if the Indian team had bowled as much in those conditions. Mishits were going for sixes during the semi-final at the Wankhede. However, credit to Rachin for doing his homework,” stated Prathiban.Ravindra revealed a desire to make a batter’s life as hard as possible during an interaction after New Zealand secured a spot in the final, which the Indian juggernaut will be well wary of.

A day before the T20 World Cup final, the usual tension and mind games between teams have already started. India and New Zealand are set to clash for the title, and both captains had a few things to say during their pre-match press conferences.India head into the final with strong momentum after smashing 253/7 against England in the semifinal at the Wankhede Stadium. But New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner believes the key for his team is to stop India from posting another huge total.

Speaking ahead of the match, he said, “And at the end of the day, if it’s going to be flat like it was the other night, trying to restrict India to 220 instead of 250 might give us a good chance.”When India captain Suryakumar Yadav was asked about Santner’s comment, he responded with a smile and a bit of banter. “Jhooth bol raha hai (he’s lying). We will try to bat well. If we score 225 or 250, it will be good. But sometimes the wicket is different, and we have to play differently. We don’t predict from the dressing room that we have to score so much. Whatever the pitch demands, we have to play that way,” he said.Santner also spoke about the pressure India might feel while playing a final at home in front of a packed crowd. “That’s the goal – to silence the crowd – but there are a lot of challenges in cricket, and they are variable. I think there is a lot of pressure on India to win at home,” he said. At the same time, the Kiwi captain sounded confident about his team. “I am pretty excited. We have played here before. There are no secrets to it. The boys are buzzing for tomorrow. It is a one-game shootout. The boys are excited.”Santner’s remark reminded many of Pat Cummins’ famous comment before the 2023 ODI World Cup final about silencing the crowd. Suryakumar couldn’t resist poking fun at that as well, saying: “Sab hi same line chipka rahe hai. Kuch toh naya bolo (Everyone is now saying the same thing. Come up with something new).”

Suryakumar Yadav responded to comments made by Mitchell Santner about silencing the home crowd in the final

NEW DELHI: India captain Suryakumar Yadav on Saturday responded to comments made by Mitchell Santner about silencing the home crowd in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Ahmedabad, saying such remarks have become common before major matches.India will face New Zealand in the final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on Sunday.Earlier in the day, New Zealand captain Santner had said his team would look to quieten the home crowd during the final. His statement was similar to one made by Pat Cummins before the final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 at the same venue, when Australia defeated India.“The goal is to silence the crowd. There are a lot of variables in T20 cricket, and it is fickle at times,” the 34-year-old said. “If we go out about our business the same way we can upset another big team. There’s obviously a lot of pressure on in there (on India) to win this World Cup at home.”

Responding to the remark, Suryakumar said such statements are now repeated often before major games.“Sab he same line chipka rahe hai. Kuch to naya bolo (Everyone is now saying the same thing. Come up with something new),” Suryakumar Yadav told reporters in the pre-match press conference.The 35-year-old India captain, who is the second-highest run-scorer for the team in the 2026 T20 World Cup, said leading the side in a World Cup final comes with pressure but he wants to enjoy the occasion.He added that the atmosphere in the Indian dressing room remains positive as the team prepares for the final.“It’s a special feeling and everyone is very excited. We have a very good environment in the group. We are looking forward to the big final,” he said.“As a leader, there would be pressure; I cannot deny that. Definitely, there would be added pressure, the excitement is there of playing a World Cup final, that too in India,” Suryakumar added.India became the first defending champions to reach the final of the T20 World Cup. They will look to win the title and also become the first host nation to lift the trophy when they face New Zealand on Sunday.

New Zealand’s captain Mitchel Santner (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: New Zealand were dealt an unexpected blow ahead of their crucial T20 World Cup clash against Canada after skipper Mitchell Santner was ruled out due to illness caused by what stand-in captain Daryl Mitchell described as a “dodgy burger.” With a Super 8 berth within touching distance, New Zealand were forced into a late reshuffle at the toss as Canada elected to bat first on Tuesday.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Mitch had a bit of a dodgy burger last night and he’s not feeling too great today, so hopefully he’s good to go in 24 hours,” Mitchell said, underlining the suddenness of the setback. All-rounder Cole McConchie was drafted in as a like-for-like replacement, with Mitchell adding, “Cole comes in for Santner as well, so again it’s a very similar role. He’ll be excited to get the opportunity.”Live Score: New Zealand vs CanadaThe Black Caps were already managing another enforced absence, with pace spearhead Lockie Ferguson returning home for the birth of his first child. His replacement, Kyle Jamieson, was welcomed back into the XI. “Firstly excited for Lockie to have his first baby and he’ll be back soon, but Kyle Jamieson comes in for him, so it’s a like for like replacement, which is good,” Mitchell said.Despite the disruptions, the stakes remain clear. A third win in Group D would seal New Zealand’s place in the Super 8s, keeping their campaign firmly on track after earlier victories over Afghanistan and the UAE and a setback against South Africa. Mitchell expressed confidence in the team’s ability to adapt.“It brings different challenges. A number of us have played quite a few games here… so we understand the conditions. We’ll assess the surface quickly and adapt as the game unfolds,” he said.