Why was Sanju Samson left out of India's squad for Zimbabwe T20Is? Know here
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Sanju Samson was Player of the Tournament in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
India’s busy white-ball schedule continues as after the ongoing T20I series against England, the Men in Blue will play a three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe later this month. As of now, the Three Lions are leading the five-match T20I series against India by 1-0 after winning the second game at Old Trafford.
On Monday, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15-member squad for the Zimbabwe tour with Shreyas Iyer continuing as captain and Tilak Varma as his deputy. The squad also includes many new faces like Prabhsimmran Singh, Harsh Dubey, Ashok Sharma and Yash Thakur, while Rinku Singh and Mayank Yadav have returned to the T20I setup.
However, one omission which caught the attention of many was of Sanju Samson, who is going through a difficult phase. The keeper-batter could manage only six runs in three innings, registering scores of 5, 0 and 1 during India’s tour of Ireland and the ongoing England series. With younger players waiting for opportunities, the selectors eventually decided to look at other options.
Sanju Samson not dropped; rested for Zimbabwe T20Is – Reports
After Sanju Samson was left out of the Zimbabwe squad, it raised questions about whether the selectors have moved on from the experienced wicketkeeper-batter or if they are just giving him time to work on himself for the next assignment. Notably, he was the Player of the Tournament in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026.
However, according to a PTI report, Samson’s omission was not entirely based on form. The reports suggested that the selectors didn’t want a senior player to just go and cool heels, and hence the management preferred giving youngsters a full series to prove themselves over asking Sanju to travel and spend most of the time on the bench.
India T20I squad for Zimbabwe tour
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma (VC), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Varun Chakaravarathy, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Prabhsimran Singh (WK).
Why was Sanju Samson dropped from India’s Zimbabwe T20I squad?
According to a PTI report, selectors felt Samson was unlikely to play regularly during the series and preferred giving young players more opportunities.
Can Sanju Samson return to the Indian team?
Yes. Samson remains a strong contender and could return with consistent performances in domestic and international opportunities.
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Amit Patel is a passionate sports enthusiast and a devoted Virat Kohli admirer who proudly supports Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Having been involved in sports from a young age, he has played chess at the district level and represented his college in various competitions. Amit closely follows Indian cricket, with a special interest in tracking young talents and rising stars making their mark at the highest level. Alongside his love for the game, he is an experienced sports content writer who enjoys crafting stories that connect with fans.