New Delhi: T20 World Cup’s player of the tournament Sanju Samson disclosed after India’s title triumph that he benefitted immensely from chats with Sachin Tendulkar.

Samson stroked his third successive half century of the tournament in India’s96-run win over New Zealand in the final.

His 46-ball 89 with the help of five boundaries and eight sixes enabled India post a record 255 for five and bowl out the Kiwis for 159 in 19 overs.

Samson was adjudged the tournament’s most valuable player for his dashing knocks in the last three matches, including India’s semi-final and the final in Ahmedabad on Sunday.

“For the last couple of months, I have been in constant contact with Sachin sir. I reached out to him and had big big conversations with him. Getting a guidance from someone like him, what more can you ask for? “I am very grateful for everyone who supported me,” Samson said after India’s sucessful title defence.

The right hander had faced criticism after successive failures in the build-up to the tournament but was in sparkling form once he was given the opportunity in the super eight stage.

“Feels like a dream. Very happy and grateful. Out of words, out of emotions,” he said after becoming the top-scorer in the final.

“To be honest, it started one-two years before. When I was in the 2024 World Cup team where I didn’t play, I kept visualising, kept on working and this was exactly what I wanted to do. After the New Zealand series I was broken, my dreams were completely shattered.

“And I was thinking what can I do. But God had different plans. And I was rewarded for being brave enough to dream. A lot of former players have reached out to me and tried to help me out.

The wicketkeeper-batter said was part of the 2024 title-winning team but warmed the benches on all matches, which was depressing but he kept himself focussed.

“When I was with the 2024 World Cup-winning team in West Indies, I couldn’t play a game. I kept on visualizing. I kept on dreaming. I kept on working. This is exactly what I wanted to do then. I thought I need to work in, I need to put in so much of work that this is exactly what I wanted to achieve. And by God’s grace, I think today things have turned around,” he said.