New Delhi: Sanju Samson has addressed the growing discussion over competition for India’s opening spots, insisting that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Abhishek Sharma are rivals only in the eyes of people outside the team.
Samson made the statement after producing a stunning performance in India’s first T20I against Afghanistan. Chasing 160, India comfortably completed the target in 14.5 overs, with Samson smashing 57 off just 22 balls. He shared an 88-run opening partnership with Abhishek Sharma.
With 15-year-old Sooryavanshi waiting for his opportunity, considerable debate has emerged over which two openers should feature in India’s playing XI. Samson, however, said there is no such competition inside the dressing room.
“I think they are competitors for the outside world, but we are a team, and we are playing for our country,” Samson said after the match.
He stressed that players cannot allow selection discussions to create negativity within the team. According to Samson, the priority remains winning matches, rather than worrying about who gets an opportunity.
The competition has also become a major topic on social media, with former Indian cricketers offering different opinions on whether Sooryavanshi should replace Samson or Abhishek.
Samson admitted that he occasionally sees such comments despite trying to stay away from social media. He said outside criticism can affect Indian cricketers, but players need to maintain clarity about their preparation and mindset.
“We Are Not Robots”
The Kerala batter also acknowledged that outside noise has affected him in the past. Samson said cricketers cannot completely switch off their emotions and pretend that criticism never hurts.
“I am not a machine. We are not robots,” he said, explaining that experience has helped him deal with such pressure better.
Samson added that constantly thinking about social media reactions could negatively affect his batting. Instead, he tries to focus