Sanju Samson omitted from India's T20I squad for Zimbabwe series

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced a 15‑member squad for the three‑match T20 International series against Zimbabwe, scheduled for July 23, 25 and 27 in Harare. Shreyas Iyer will captain the side with Tilak Varma as vice‑captain. The squad includes veterans such as Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh and Ishan Kishan, alongside newcomers Prabhsimran Singh, Ashok Sharma, Yash Thakur, Harsh Dubey, Mayank Yadav and others. The most high‑profile omission is wicket‑keeper‑batter Sanju Samson, the 2026 T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament, who was left out despite his recent heroics. BCCI sources say Samson is being rested to manage workload and to give younger players exposure ahead of the Asian Games. The decision also saw senior bowlers Prasidh Krishna, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar and others dropped. The exclusion sparked debate among fans and commentators, with some questioning whether Samson was dropped for form, while others cite a strategic rotation policy. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi retains his place, and the tour is viewed as a platform to assess India’s emerging white‑ball talent ahead of future ICC events.