'I can admit on camera' - Sanju Samson candidly recounts competition for opening slot with Ishan Kishan in lead-up to T20 World Cup

Sanju Samson is not only a brilliant wicketkeeper-batter, but he is also candid and not someone who is diplomatic in his responses to subjects. Samson recently sat down for an interview with Abhinav Mukund on the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) podcast. 

He candidly recounted how he felt a stern competition for the opening slot from Ishan Kishan during India's five-match T20I series against New Zealand at home, which served as a precursor to the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026.

Samson heaped praise on Ishan for scripting his comeback into Team India after being left out of the squad and released from BCCI's list of centrally contracted players.

"He had a great Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he won the championship for Jharkhand, and he has also had a great story," Samson said of Ishan on the CSK podcast. "We only look at ourselves, right? I think I have worked day in and day out, but lately I felt like Ishan had also done the same. After what happened to him for the last two years - he was out of the system - he worked so hard in domestic cricket and worked his way back. He had started scoring runs, and I can admit it on camera that I could feel he was coming for my spot."

Ishan scored a match-winning 103 off 43 balls in the fifth and final T20I of the series in Samason's hometown Trivandrum, while the latter managed only six off as many deliveries. Samson said that Ishan's century made him believe that he (Ishan) deserved the opportunity to open alongside Abhishek Sharma more than him.

"In Trivandrum, when he scored that hundred, I was like, Sanju, now you just give it to him, boss. He deserves it more than you do. You got your chances, you didn’t score runs, but there is someone who is in tremendous form. He came out of the Mushtaq Ali Trophy, did everything right to reach there and then scored a century just before the World Cup started. So now I think, 'Sanju, you just leave it," added Sanju.

Samson was left out of India's playing XI during the initial stages of the T20 World Cup. However, India chose to play him in a must-win Super Eight clash against West Indies in Kolkata, and Samson responded with a knock for the ages. He scored a 50-ball 97* and helped India chase down 196. The wicketkeeper-batter also scored two pivotal 89-run knocks in the semifinal and final to help India successfully defend their title.