Indian spinner Varun Chakravarthy has praised the return of Sanju Samson to India’s playing XI during the T20 World Cup, calling the move a “masterstroke.” Chakravarthy credited Samson’s inclusion as one of the major moments that helped shift the team’s momentum in the tournament. His comments came while reflecting on India’s successful campaign and the performances that contributed to their title-winning run.

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Samson's impactful performance

Samson, who had initially missed out on his spot in the playing XI of the T20 tournament, was later brought back into the side. The decision proved crucial as the Kerala-born wicketkeeper-batter delivered strong performances when it mattered most. His calm approach, ability to accelerate the scoring rate, and leadership behind the stumps added balance to the Indian lineup.

In important matches, Samson played valuable innings that helped India stabilise tricky situations and build competitive totals.

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'Mallu' remark goes viral

After Chakravarthy made a light-hearted remark referring to Samson as “Mallu,” it quickly went viral. “There’s a meme that’s gotten popular. It says, “If there’s a Mallu involved in a World Cup, we never lose.’ It’s true. The masterstroke was getting him back into the XI,” Chakaravarthy said, as quoted by the Indian Express.

Referring to Samson’s Kerala roots, he joked that if there is a “Mallu” (a person from Kerala) in the Indian squad during a World Cup, the team never loses. The comment was made in a humorous tone and was seen as praise for Samson’s contribution and influence within the squad.

For Chakravarthy, the triumph carried a deeply personal significance. After being dropped from the side and later earning a recall to the World Cup squad, he described the comeback in emotional terms.

“Last year, we had won. The hangover of that World Cup was still there. But winning back-to-back World Cups was exceptional. For me, it was a miracle. I wasn’t even part of the team initially, but I was called up, played the next day, and we ended up winning the World Cup,” he said.

Fans widely shared the remark online, turning it into a trending meme while celebrating Samson’s performances in the tournament. Teammates like Chakravarthy believe that Samson’s comeback played a vital role in shaping India’s successful World Cup campaign and ultimately helped the team lift the trophy.