Fact Check: Did Sachin Tendulkar Push Sanju Samson's Case For India's T20I Captaincy?

Sanju Samson Sachin Tendulkar. [Source - AFP]

IPL 2026 is coming to its end, and attention quickly shifts back to the Indian cricket team as fans discuss how things will unfold over the next few months. The T20I side recently won the T20 World Cup, but leadership changes are potentially on the cards.

With this, multiple speculations have started circulating regarding the team’s future direction, including discussions that even the great Sachin Tendulkar has joined the conversation around India’s next T20I captaincy choice.

Sachin Tendulkar demands Sanju Samson as India’s next T20I captain

As the chaos around India’s T20I future and its potential new captain grows, a quote attributed to Sachin is circulating online. A fan post claims Tendulkar expressed his desire to see Sanju Samson lead India in T20Is. 

Here is the online post:

Abhishek Kumar

@Abhishek060722

Q: Who should captain India in T20Is? Sachin Tendulkar: “Look, there are many good options, but if I had to pick one, I would choose Sanju Samson as India's T20 captain because the calmness with which he is batting right now is second to none. I hope he becomes captain because

May 30, 2026, 11:17 PM

“Look, there are many good options, but if I had to pick one, I would choose Sanju Samson as India’s T20 captain because the calmness with which he is batting right now is second to none. I hope he becomes captain because I really like his leadership style,” Tendulkar said as quoted by @Abhishek060722 on X.

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The quote has been widely shared across social media platforms, sparking debate among cricket fans about its authenticity. 

It attributes strong praise for Sanju's batting form and leadership qualities to Sachin Tendulkar, quickly gaining traction across discussions on India’s T20I captaincy future.

But the question still remains, did Sachin Tendulkar really say Sanju Samson should be India’s next T20I captain?

Verifying the Viral Sachin Tendulkar Quote on Sanju Samson’s Captaincy

The viral quote suggesting Sachin Tendulkar demanded Sanju Samson be India’s next T20I captain is fake. There is no record anywhere of Tendulkar making such a statement in interviews or public appearances.

In fact, in his recent public appearance at the ESPN Cricinfo Awards, Tendulkar spoke about young talent like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and developments in Indian cricket, but he never mentioned Sanju Samson’s captaincy or expressed any preference for leadership changes.

While Sanju was a standout performer in the T20 World Cup 2026 and even finished as the player of the tournament, India’s T20I captaincy has never been something Tendulkar publicly demanded or endorsed in relation to him.

Samson Among BCCI's Top Contenders for India T20I Captaincy

The BCCI is expected to take a final call on Suryakumar Yadav’s future as India’s T20I captain, even after leading the team to a T20 World Cup title earlier this year. The management is actively exploring multiple leadership options.

While names like Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, and Axar Patel are being discussed internally, selectors appear to be preparing a long-term succession plan. However, claims linking Sachin Tendulkar to endorsing Samson as India’s captain are not supported by any evidence.

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