IND vs AFG, 2nd T20I: Sanju Samson Gives Honest Take on Competition With Vaibhav Sooryavanshi

Sanju Samson addressed the debate over his competition with 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for a Team India spot. After his match-winning knock vs Afghanistan, Samson said national success comes first and admitted Sooryavanshi’s selection was fair.

Team India wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson has addressed the ongoing debates surrounding his competition with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi for a place in India’s playing XI amid the ongoing T20I series against Afghanistan in New Delhi.

The Men in Blue, led by Shreyas Iyer, sealed the series 2-0 following a seven-wicket win in the second T20I at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi. Chasing a 160-run target, Samson stole the spotlight with his fiery knock of 57 off 22 balls, including 7 fours and 4 sixes, at an impressive strike rate of 259.09, to help Team India go past the finish line with 31 balls to spare.

However, Sanju Samson’s place in the playing XI has frequently been a topic of intense discussion among fans and cricket experts, particularly given the rotational changes involving 15-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, who has been making waves following his stellar performances and Player of the Series award in Zimbabwe.

‘We Are Playing for the Country’

Speaking at the press conference following India’s seven–wicket win over Afghanistan in New Delhi, Sanju Samson was asked about competition within the squad and how he handles selection rotations.

He responded by saying Abhishek Sharma and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are competitors for the outside world rather than within the team, emphasizing that the primary objective is national success and collective unity rather than individual friction.

“I think they (Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma) are competitors for the outside world, but we are a team, and we are playing for a country. We want to win the game first, and then it comes down to the other individuals,” Samson said.

“We can't sulk or be in a negative frame of mind, thinking, 'Yaar, mujhe nahi mila, usko kyun diya.' Those kinds of mindsets don't work here," he added.

6,4,4,6 BY SANJU SAMSON - Moment of the match ❤️😍

- The main man is back. pic.twitter.com/hRrVuoc1XZ

— Johns. (@CricCrazyJohns) September 15, 2026

Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Vaibhav Sooryavanshi are designated openers competing for crucial slots at the top of India’s batting order, a depth that provides the team leadership with tactical flexibility across various bilateral series and international tournaments. When Samson was dropped from the Zimbabwe T20I series, Sooryavanshi and Abhishek opened the innings.

In the Ireland and England T20I series, India tried different opening combinations, with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi making his T20I debut in England and Sanju Samson returning to the XI for the fifth T20I.

‘His Selection Was Understandable’

Further speaking on the competition for a place in the playing XI, Samson admitted that earning a spot in the Indian team and consistently scoring runs is not easy. He also acknowledged that Sooryavanshi's selection during the Zimbabwe series was understandable after the youngster's impressive run of form.

“As I said before, playing for the Indian team and scoring runs is not an easy thing. You are seeing a 15-year-old boy who has come after scoring 700-800 runs. I was Player of the Tournament before that. After that, they had such a good performance, and he had to come in in some other manner,” the wicketkeeper-batter told reporters.

“I didn't perform in two to three games, and he was in form. We wanted to win games in that series, and it was very understandable from a leadership point of view,” he added.

Meanwhile, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi is part of the India squad for the ongoing Afghanistan T20Is and the upcoming Asian Games 2026 in Japan, where his explosive talent is expected to play a pivotal role in the team's campaign.