Sanju Samson was one of India’s standout performers during the T20 World Cup just a few months ago. He played an important role in India’s title-winning campaign. However, his absence from India’s T20I squad for the Zimbabwe series has surprised many fans.
The main reason appears to be a lack of consistency. While Samson impressed on the biggest stage, his performances before and after the World Cup did not meet expectations. That inconsistency seems to have influenced the selectors’ decision.
At the same time, 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has made a strong case for selection with his recent performances. According to reports, the team management felt this was the right time to give the young batter a proper opportunity instead of keeping him on the bench.
The selectors believed a confident young player should be allowed to build momentum. To accommodate Sooryavanshi, someone had to miss out. The choices were Sanju Samson, Abhishek Sharma, and Ishan Kishan.
Abhishek Sharma and Ishan Kishan have continued to score consistently. Samson, however, struggled to maintain the same level of form. That appears to have gone against him during the selection process.
Despite missing the Zimbabwe T20I series, Samson has been included in India’s squad for the 2026 Asian Games. Shreyas Iyer will captain the side during the tournament. Reports also suggest that V. V. S. Laxman is likely to serve as India’s head coach for both the Zimbabwe T20I series and the Asian Games.
The decision has sparked debate among cricket fans. Have the selectors made the right long-term decision by backing youth, or has India left out a World Cup hero too early?
India Squad for Zimbabwe T20I 2026: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Prabhsimran Singh.
