India, March 3 -- Sanju Samson's unbeaten 97 against West Indies at Eden Gardens on Sunday night will be remembered for the timing of it as much as the strokeplay itself. India needed a win to stay alive and seal a semifinal place, and Samson delivered under pressure in a must-win T20 World Cup game, playing through the innings with a mix of control, acceleration and composure that stood out.

But beyond the scoreboard and the noise of a roaring Kolkata crowd, the innings also reopened a familiar conversation around Samson, not about talent, which has rarely been in doubt, but about what happens when preparation, patience and opportunity finally align. In that sense, the 97 was not just a match-winning effort. It was also, going by Zubin ...