India, March 11 -- Last November, for whatever reason you may choose to believe, Rajasthan Royals let go of Sanju Samson. A few months later, the legend of Samson - more than a decade in the making for India - rises and he turns into the caliph of the clutch and the pasha of the Powerplay, giving India's T20 World Cup campaign wings, claws, et al.

Of his five (from India's nine) T20 World Cup matches, no one remembers 22 and 24 vs Namibia and Zimbabwe. But we're sure as hell never forgetting 97*, 89, 89.

Also remember, CSK procured Samson in exchange for Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, a one-for-two deal that now leaves no doubt about the value. CSK are allowed a chuckle. Samson's cult-figure status has only expanded in the last week of...