NEW DELHI: India’s T20 World Cup hero Sanju Samson has opened up on his much-discussed exit from Rajasthan Royals, revealing that the decision stemmed from a simple realisation — his journey with the franchise had run its course.Now gearing up for a new chapter with Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026, Samson made it clear that emotions won’t cloud his focus when he comes up against his former side.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“This is the first time I will play against Rajasthan Royals, but I don’t let emotions rule me on the field. I left Rajasthan Royals because I felt my time in the team was over. Even if we face them now, I will play my best cricket,” Samson said.

The highly anticipated clash will come early, with CSK set to face the Royals in their opening game of the season in Guwahati. While Samson admitted the occasion would feel “unusual,” he struck a balanced tone about the emotional aspect of the reunion.“I don’t think much about emotions on the ground as the situation dictates the game. But certainly before and after the match there will be emotions, as there are players and support staff with whom I have shared a long association,” he added.

Samson eyes fresh start with CSK

Samson’s move to CSK has already generated significant buzz, not least because of the opportunity to share a dressing room with MS Dhoni. The Kerala batter revealed he has already spoken to the CSK legend and is eager to learn from him.“I am really excited to be part of CSK. I had spoken to Dhoni bhai earlier and always had positive vibes. Spending close to two months with him will be a great opportunity to observe and learn,” he said.Samson also fondly recalled the support he received from Chennai fans during the T20 World Cup. “I was surprised by the support from the Chennai crowd. Maybe they see me as one of them. I don’t want to disappoint them and will give my best for CSK,” he said.Fresh off a stellar World Cup campaign, Samson now turns his focus to IPL 2026, determined to make a strong impact in yellow.

NEW DELHI: Team India’s left-handed batter Ishan Kishan is the frontrunner to lead Sunrisers Hyderabad in the upcoming IPL 2026 season, as there is yet no clarity on when Pat Cummins will link up with the squad. TimesofIndia.com reliably understands that the SRH management has had a discussion in this regard, and Kishan has been identified as the most suitable candidate to have the armband in the Australian fast bowler’s absence.

Ishan’s stocks are on a bull run at the moment. The 27-year-old has had a brilliant T20 World Cup campaign, where he became the toast of the nation for his performances, initially as a top-order batter and then at No. 3 when Sanju Samson returned to the Playing XI.

Ishan Kishan’s performance in last IPL

Kishan has established himself as one of the most explosive wicketkeeper-batters in the IPL. Across 119 matches in the tournament, playing for three franchises including Sunrisers Hyderabad, he has scored 2,998 runs from 112 innings at an average of 29.10 and a strike rate of 137.64. His tally includes one century, 17 half-centuries, 288 fours and 134 sixes, underlining his aggressive batting style. Behind the stumps, Kishan has also contributed with 59 catches and five stumpings. In the 2025 season, his first after being picked for Rs 11.25 crore in the auction, he scored 354 runs in 14 matches at a strike rate of 152.58, including a century and a fifty.

Kishan’s heroics in T20 World Cup 2026

Kishan played a key role for the India national cricket team during the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, finishing as India’s second-highest run-scorer with 317 runs in nine innings at an average of 35.22 and a strike rate above 193. His campaign included three half-centuries, including one in the final, helping India clinch the title. Speaking after the victory, he said, “Our team won, obviously, it is a very good thing, not only for us, but for the whole nation. We hope to continue playing cricket like this and keep winning.” He added, “It feels great because I believe the better I perform, the more motivation it will be for the young kids here who want to grow. I always try to ensure as many players as possible emerge from every corner. Now that we’ve played the World Cup, it shows that with hard work, you can succeed from anywhere.” On his future goals, Kishan said, “Nothing much, just keep scoring runs, keep playing, and keep winning.”

India’s captain Suryakumar Yadav, right, and Ishan Kishan. (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s T20 World Cup-winning captain Suryakumar Yadav has revealed that one of the biggest selection calls of the tournament — choosing Ishan Kishan over Jitesh Sharma — was largely driven by instinct rather than pure numbers. The skipper admitted the decision was tough but insisted his gut feeling told him Kishan could be the “X-factor” India needed on the big stage.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Suryakumar said the call was a delicate balance between data and intuition. “It was completely on gut, little bit on data. It was very harsh on Jitesh Sharma at that time because he was playing with the team for over a year. Had he not been playing, then the story would have been different,” he said in a podcast interview with PTI Videos.

The captain revealed that the turning point came during a direct conversation with Kishan. “I called him and asked, ‘Chhotu, World Cup jitayega?’ He asked, ‘Bharosa karogey?’ I said, ‘Chal kiya.’ And the way he played was amazing,” Suryakumar recalled. “I always knew he could be the X-factor because he has no baggage.”Kishan justified that faith in style during the tournament, scoring 317 runs in nine matches at a strike rate of over 190 while opening the innings and batting at No. 3. His tally was the fourth-highest in the competition as India lifted the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the second consecutive time, following their triumph under Rohit Sharma in 2024.Suryakumar also highlighted Kishan’s determination to fight his way back into the national setup after a difficult phase. “He was going through a bad patch and had been out of the team for a while. But he travelled across India playing practice matches and smaller games just to stay ready,” he said.Another tactical call that proved decisive was the inclusion of Sanju Samson at the top of the order. According to Suryakumar, Samson’s arrival changed the momentum of India’s campaign. “After Sanju got included, the tide completely changed. It was also tactical because we had too many left-handers at the top and opposition off-spinners were finding it easy.”Samson responded with match-winning performances, including scores of 89 in both the semifinal and final, eventually earning the Player of the Tournament award.Reflecting on his own approach, Suryakumar described T20 batting as largely instinctive. “It’s a reaction-driven sport. Around 70 to 75 per cent of batting is reaction and the rest is instinct. On a given day, you just assess what the situation demands and bat accordingly,” he said.

Abhishek Sharma (ICC Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s star opener Sanju Samson praised his opening partner Abhishek Sharma, describing their partnership as effortless and well-balanced. He said their combination is like “fire and fire”, with both players taking turns to lead the attack. Samson also spoke about their natural Kerala-Punjabi bond that strengthens their understanding. He admired Abhishek’s bravery and composure and said he enjoys their camaraderie both on and off the field.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“We are not ice and fire, we are fire and fire. Sometimes he fires, sometimes I do. We have that kind of combination going. We have done this since 2024; we have a Kerala-Punjabi friendship in the middle. Everything comes pretty naturally to us, so we do not complicate it. He asks me, ‘How is the ball coming?’ I tell him that the ball is coming normally, and hit it for a six. It is really simple with him. Abhishek is very brave and collected. I love his character. I really love the partnership with him on and off the field,” Sanju Samson said at the India Today Conclave.

Samson also revealed that Indian players were once ‘jealous’ of Abhishek because of his early stardom.“Earlier, the boys used to get jealous because of the cheers for Abhishek. It was Abhishek, Abhishek everywhere. We were like, do people only see him or what? But yes, he is the superstar of the team now. Get married soon, bhai,” he added.Samson and Abhishek tore into the New Zealand bowlers in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup final, putting on a 98-run opening partnership to give India a flying start in the powerplay. Their explosive beginning helped India post a massive total of 255 in the final.India created history by securing a record third T20 World Cup title and becoming the first team to successfully defend the trophy and win it on home soil, following a dominant 96-run victory over New Zealand at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday.Samson scripted a remarkable comeback during the T20 World Cup, overcoming inconsistency and time on the bench to finish as India’s leading run-scorer in the tournament. He delivered crucial performances, including a string of half-centuries from the virtual quarterfinal against West Indies to the title clash against New Zealand.Samson scored 321 runs in five innings at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37. He smashed 27 fours and 24 sixes and finished as the third-highest run-scorer of the T20 World Cup.

India vs Pakistan (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Officials from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday held a press conference to address the team’s performance in the T20 World Cup, where India national cricket team went on to win the title. During the press conference, Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed spoke about the team’s results and also referred to the long-standing record against India in ODI World Cups.Speaking alongside former Pakistan players Misbah-ul-Haq, Sarfaraz Ahmed and Asad Shafiq, Javed said Pakistan should not keep using the India record as an excuse.

“Not being able to beat India in the World Cup is not an excuse, the result there is 8–0, and even the world’s best captains have played from 1975 to 2026, so set that aside. In the Super 8 stage, one match was washed out due to rain, and we lost one match nothing else happened,” he said.“Against Sri Lanka, winning by that margin wasn’t achievable. We lost only one match. We were eliminated only on net run rate. Making it such a huge issue is too much. It’s a big issue, but not so big that our cricket is destroyed or that we can’t compete anywhere in the world.”The discussion also brought back earlier controversy involving Pakistan all-rounder Shadab Khan. During the tournament, Shadab had strongly responded to criticism from former players after Pakistan’s defeat to India in Colombo. When asked about remarks from ex-cricketers such as Shahid Afridi and Mohammad Yousuf, he pointed out that their teams had never beaten India in World Cups, unlike Pakistan’s 2021 T20 World Cup victory over India. Shadab was part of the 2021 side.“Former cricketers have their own opinions. They (former players) were legends, but even they could not achieve what we have. We have beaten India in a World Cup,” he added.The message also carried nothing but a lack of respect for past players, including Shadab’s father-in-law Saqlain Mushtaq.Saqlain himself expressed disappointment with the remarks. “Those were unwanted comments, and most of the players had played with me. In fact, I am also one of them who had not won an ICC event, but we had won several big matches for Pakistan, Tests and ODIs,” Saqlain said on a Pakistani show.

Ricky Ponting speaks about Team India’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign

NEW DELHI: Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has praised India’s decision to back Sanju Samson as an opener during their victorious campaign in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. According to Ponting, the trust shown in Samson by captain Suryakumar Yadav and the coaching staff played a major role in India’s success.Samson’s tournament did not start smoothly. Before the World Cup, he had scored only 46 runs in five T20Is against New Zealand national cricket team. He initially got a chance in the league match against Namibia national cricket team in New Delhi after Abhishek Sharma fell ill. Later, he was brought back for a key Super Eight game against Zimbabwe national cricket team and turned his tournament around with a series of brilliant performances.

Samson played some crucial knocks as India advanced in the competition. He scored an unbeaten 97 against West Indies national cricket team in Kolkata, followed by 89 in the semifinal against England national cricket team in Mumbai and another 89 in the final against New Zealand national cricket team in Ahmedabad. His total of 321 runs in five innings became the most by an Indian batter in a single T20 World Cup edition and earned him the Player of the Tournament award.“For India to stick with him at the top there, that was a big call to make. A big decision, but one that worked out really well in the end. If you get the backing of the coaching staff and the captain, then that’s all you need,” Ponting said on The ICC Review show.“Just a pat on the back or an arm around the shoulder to say, ‘we’re sticking with you, we believe in you.’ When you’ve got the quality that Sanju’s got, and the confidence of the captain and coach behind you, that’s when great things can happen.”Ponting also praised Suryakumar’s leadership and how he managed his players during the tournament. “It would have been really interesting to see how Surya has interacted with Abhishek (Sharam) and Sanju (Samson) over the last few weeks. That’s where the real stories will come out on true leadership.”Despite not scoring heavily himself apart from an unbeaten 84 against the United States national cricket team, Suryakumar guided India to the title. Ponting concluded, “It’s about a lot more than what they do off the field, the things that people don’t see and how they interact with their players. He didn’t have a great time himself as a player, but still, he’s standing at the end holding up a World Cup trophy.”

Jasprit Bumrah and Usman Tariq (AP Photos)

NEW DELHI: Pakistan selector Aaqib Javed on Saturday sparked debate after making a surprising comparison between Indian pacer Jasprit Bumrah and Pakistan spinner Usman Tariq. His remarks came after India’s strong campaign in the T20 World Cup, where Bumrah played a key role in the team’s success.Bumrah was one of the standout players of the tournament, finishing as the joint-highest wicket-taker with 14 wickets alongside Varun Chakravarthy.

His best performance came in the final against New Zealand national cricket team in Ahmedabad, where he produced a brilliant spell of 4/15 in four overs. The performance helped India secure a dominant 96-run victory and defend their title, earning Bumrah the Player of the Match award.Explaining his comparison, Javed said Bumrah’s bowling style is rare because of his unusual action and the difficulty batters face in settling against him. “In today’s era, across this entire World Cup, there is only one bowler like that – Bumrah. Because he is different. He is not a normal bowler. Even his action is unusual. When he comes in to bowl, I always say he is like the Usman Tariq of fast bowlers,” he told reporters.He further explained that Bumrah’s pace and unique rhythm make him extremely hard to face. “He bowls so quickly and in such a unique manner that a batter never really finds any flow or rhythm against him. He simply doesn’t allow it,” he added.Javed also argued that bowlers with the aura of past greats are becoming rare in modern cricket. “Other than him, tell me one more bowler in this entire World Cup – from any team – whom you can look at and feel satisfied that he carries the reflection of a Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, or anyone like that. You won’t find one anymore,” he further noted.

Suryakumar Yadav (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: India’s T20I skipper Suryakumar Yadav marked a special milestone as he completed five years in international cricket. His journey with the national team began on March 14, 2022, when he made his debut against England at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. Coincidentally, it was the same venue where he recently led India to their historic third ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title after defeating New Zealand earlier this week.“5 years ago, a dream turned into reality. Wearing the India jersey is a feeling I can still never fully put into words. Here’s to many more memories that we’re going to create, for team India,” he wrote on X.

Suryakumar’s path to the international stage was far from straightforward. Unlike many cricketers who break through at a young age, he spent several years proving his credentials in domestic cricket and the Indian Premier League before finally earning a call-up to the national side. Once he got the opportunity, he made sure to make an immediate and lasting impact.One of the standout moments of his career came during the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies. As an important member of the squad, he played a key role in helping India end their long wait for a global ICC title.Since his debut, the Mumbai-born batter has emerged as one of the most destructive players in the shortest format. In 113 T20 Internationals, he has amassed 3,272 runs at an average of 36.35 while striking at an impressive rate of 162.94, numbers that reflect the flair and unpredictability he brings whenever he walks out to bat.His tally includes four centuries and 25 half-centuries. Among them, his explosive 117 against England in Nottingham on July 10, 2022, remains one of the most memorable innings of his career, reinforcing his reputation as an innovative and fearless T20 batter.Apart from his batting exploits, Suryakumar has also developed into a dependable leader for India in the format. In 52 T20 Internationals as captain, he has led the team to 40 wins while suffering only eight defeats, underlining the confident and attacking approach he brings to the role.