'I don't like to compete against teammates': Sanju Samson on India's T20I opener race ft. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma

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'I don't like to compete against teammates': Sanju Samson on India's T20I opener race ft. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma originally appeared on Cricket News. Add Cricket News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:​

• Sanju Samson says he prefers competing against opposition teams than his own teammates.
• He currently faces competition for India's T20I opening spots with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma.
• Even after 2026 T20 World Cup heroics, Samson says his mindset remains unchanged.

Sanju Samson explains his stance on India's T20I opener competition​

Sanju Samson has spoken about the cut-throat competition for inclusion in India's T20I team, especially after youngsters like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma are being considered the favored pair as openers in recent games.

Samson’s answer to this question was that he would much prefer taking on the opposition rather than his teammates.

Speaking to reporters after signing a brand endorsement deal with Al Ansari Exchange in Dubai, he clarified, "This is definitely a team sport. When it comes to a team sport, we have competition with other teams.

"I am someone who doesn't like to compete against my own teammates."

Asked if winning the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and Player of the Tournament had brought a change in him regarding competition, he responded, "My energy is that 'I want to defeat the opposition, this is a crucial match and I want to play and win'."

This isn't a just mindset that came after the World Cup."


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Why Samson's comments matter now​

Coming off his successful stint where he helped India lift the 2026 T20 World Cup after which he was named the Player of the Tournament, Samson struggled to cement his place in the T20 squad.

After scoring just 33 runs in four T20I innings against Ireland and England, coupled with the emergence of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, he was eventually rested for the Zimbabwe T20I bilateral series.

The Indian management is leaned towards backing the dangerous left-hander opening duo of Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma.

Despite being one of India's best batters in the white-ball format, the competition among many players to get an opportunity to play for India has increased.

But rather than taking it as a contest among teammates, it is necessary to assist India in winning games whenever picked by the team management.

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What next for Sanju Samson?​

There is nothing new about the competition for spots within the Indian cricket team, but Samson's perspective shifts the emphasis from individual competition to team-based success.

Rather than seeing teammates as competitors, he says selection should come when a player has helped the team achieve its goals.

But first and foremost, the wicketkeeper batter will need to establish himself again in the Indian squad, particularly in the T20I XI, although rebutting notions of planning as far as the 2028 T20 World Cup and previously admitting that after the 2024 World Cup, he did not even expect to play in the 2026 World Cup.

Considering how Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma are doing with their chances as opening batters, Samson might need to wait for another opening to show his ability to contribute to the team's cause.

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