Sanju Samson's Zimbabwe T20Is snub called "disastrous" by Ravi Ashwin; Know why

Sanju Samson’s absence becomes one of the biggest talking points.

The Indian Cricket Team is currently playing a five-match T20I series against England, but the series has turned out to be a tough one. India are struggling with rhythm and consistent performances, especially after the disappointing loss against Ireland by 2-0.

The Shreyas Iyer-led side also suffered back-to-back losses against England. One of the major talking point has been team selection. Sanju Samson, who was the Player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup 2026, was dropped to accommodate the young sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. This led to a massive outrage among the fans, with many lashing out at the team management. 

Not only this, Sanju Samson was also left out of the squad for Zimbabwe T20Is. Several young players got their maiden calls, and some even retained their position in the team after a busy schedule in the IPL 2026.

Now, former India spinner Ravichandran Ashwin shared his views on this matter in a recent YouTube video.

R Ashwin on Sanju Samson’s being left out for Zimbabwe T20Is

During a conversation with journalist Vimal Kumar on his YouTube channel, Ashwin expressed that frequent changes in the squad could create insecurity within the dressing room. With this, players may start focusing more on protecting their places rather than playing freely for the team.

“Who is next? After those two losses in Ireland and a loss of form, they have made Sanju Samson sit out. Now we have lost two in England, so who is next? Players will start thinking about themselves more than the team. In T20 cricket, that is disastrous. If batters start thinking, ‘If I don’t score runs, I might be benched,’ they will start playing for their places. That is extremely dangerous,” R. Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.

Sanju Samson was the player of the Tournament in the T20 World Cup 2026 after scoring 321 runs in five matches, including crucial knocks against West Indies, England and New Zealand. Sanju also had a good IPL 2026 season with Chennai Super Kings as he scored 477 runs at a strike rate of 165.63.

However, after returning to international cricket, Samson managed only six runs in three innings. With the poor performances, Samson lost his place in the playing XI and was replaced by youngster Vaibhav Sooryavanshi.

“What is the meaning of rest? Sanju Samson only plays T20Is, not Tests or ODIs. What’s the point of giving him rest? He can rest after the Zimbabwe tour. Why will he want to rest? It’s unfair, but it is what it is,” Ashwin further added.

Ashwin felt that Samson deserved a few more opportunities before being sidelined. For now, the selectors have moved ahead with a younger squad for Zimbabwe, and the chances are pretty low that any changes would be made.

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