Sometimes, cricket writes scripts that no one sees coming. As Sanju Samson walked out to bat today against South Africa, he wasn’t even supposed to be in the playing eleven. It took an unfortunate injury to Shubman Gill for the door to open, just a crack. But for a player whose career has been defined by waiting, a crack was all he needed.

In the heat of the 5th T20I, Samson quietly crossed a major milestone: 1000 T20I runs for India. But it’s not just about the runs; it’s about the speed and intent with which he got there. He has reached this mark in just 679 balls, tying with Hardik Pandya as the joint-third fastest Indian to achieve this feat in terms of balls faced.

Fastest Indians to 1000 T20I Runs (Balls Faced):

528 – Abhishek Sharma

573 – Suryakumar Yadav

679 – Hardik Pandya

679 – Sanju Samson

686 – KL Rahul

690 – Tilak Varma

This list tells a story of aggression. Being in the company of Suryakumar Yadav and Abhishek Sharma shows exactly the brand of cricket Sanju Samson plays, fearless and high-risk.

His journey to this number hasn’t been a straight line. For years, Sanju Samson was the “nearly man,” struggling to find a permanent spot in a crowded Indian lineup. He watched from the sidelines, often performing well only to be dropped for the next series. Yet, he kept evolving. With 3 T20I centuries and 3 half-centuries to his name now, he has proven he isn’t just a cameo player; he is a match-winner.

Today, as he joined the 1000-run club, it felt like a reward for resilience. Gill’s loss was Samson’s gain, but looking at how freely he struck the ball, it felt like destiny had been saving this moment for him all along.