Sanju Samson and Ishan Kishan may have shared the same dressing room during India’s victorious T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, but both cricketers carried very different struggles on their road to the title. While Sanju spent years fighting inconsistency and the pressure of missed opportunities, Ishan battled his way back after remaining out of the Indian system for nearly two years. Yet despite the competition between them for a place in the playing XI, Samson recently opened up on how he honestly felt that Kishan deserved the spot because of the hard work and performances he had put in before the World Cup.
Competition for a spot in the Indian T20 side has arguably never been tougher than it is right now. As India entered the T20 World Cup 2026, Ishan Kishan earned a comeback into the squad, while vice-captain Shubman Gill was surprisingly left out.
Sanju Samson, meanwhile, entered the tournament struggling for form and was even dropped from the playing XI during the middle phase of the competition. Kishan then took over the opening duties alongside Abhishek Sharma.
Speaking on the CSK podcast with Abhinav Mukund, Samson admitted that he could sense Kishan was coming for his spot in the team after his brilliant domestic performances.
"Honestly, Ishan Kishan came into the squad out of nowhere. He had a great Mushtaq Ali Trophy, he won the championship for Jharkhand and he has also had a great story, boss," Samson said.
"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," Samson added.
What stood out the most from Samson’s interaction was the honesty with which he spoke about competition in Indian cricket. Instead of frustration or insecurity, Samson admitted that there came a point where he genuinely felt Kishan deserved the opportunity more.
"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,'" Samson said.
For years, Samson has faced criticism over inconsistency despite being considered one of India’s most naturally gifted batters. Kishan, meanwhile, spent months away from the national setup before rebuilding himself through domestic cricket.
Both players eventually found their own way back into India’s T20 World Cup journey.
In the end, the story turned into a memorable one for both cricketers. Samson, Ishan and Abhishek Sharma all featured in India’s playing XI during the final against New Zealand national cricket team, with all three registering half-centuries as India lifted its third T20 World Cup title.
For Samson and Kishan, the tournament became more than just a World Cup victory - it became a story of patience, setbacks, hard work and eventually finding their place again on the biggest stage.
