BCCI announce 2026 Zimbabwe T20I series squad; Sanju Samson left out

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has declared the 15-member Indian squad that will tour Zimbabwe for a three-match T20I series scheduled to be played entirely at the Harare Sports Club between July 23 and July 26, 2026.

The most notable omission from the squad is veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Sanju Samson, despite his selection as the Player of the Tournament in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign.

Examining Samson’s Drop

While the exclusion of the 31-year-old Samson is the biggest talking point, a look at his recent form provides a clear explanation. Samson has been extremely inconsistent in his recent international appearances.

Ireland Series: He scored a mere 5 runs from two matches in India’s historic 0-2 whitewash against Ireland.
England Series: Samson managed just 1 run in the first T20I against England on July 4 and was dropped from the second match in Manchester.
His T20I career record reads 1,405 runs in 65 matches, averaging 27.01 with a strike rate of 155.42, including three centuries and six half-centuries.
In contrast to Samson’s exclusion, the selection committee has embraced a youth-oriented approach for the Zimbabwe tour, led by Captain Shreyas Iyer and Vice-Captain Tilak Varma.

Vaibhav Suryavanshi retained his spot in the national squad after making his debut in the T20I series against England. The 15-year-old batting prodigy is all set to impress on the international stage again.

PBKS breakout sensation Prabhsimran Singh has been rewarded with his maiden international call-up, following a spectacular domestic/IPL season where he amassed 510 runs in 13 innings at a blistering pace.

Pace injection and Rinku Singh’s return: Middle-order dasher Rinku Singh makes a comeback to the side after being rested for the England series. The bowling attack will be bolstered by the inclusion of express fast bowler Mayank Yadav and uncapped quicks Ashok Sharma and Yash Thakur, adding significant speed and variety.

The 15-Member Squad

Captain: Shreyas Iyer

Vice-Captain: Tilak Varma

The 15-player Indian squad for the Zimbabwe tour is:

Shreyas Iyer (Captain)

Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain)

Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Prabhsimran Singh (Wicketkeeper)

Ishan Kishan (Wicketkeeper)

Rinku Singh

Abhishek Sharma

Shivam Dube

Suryansh Shedge

Mayank Yadav

Yash Thakur

Ashok Sharma

Prince Yadav

Varun Chakravarthy

Harsh Dubey

Series Schedule:

1st T20I: July 23, 2026 (Thursday) – Harare Sports Club, Harare

2nd T20I: July 25, 2026 (Saturday) – Harare Sports Club, Harare

3rd T20I: July 26, 2026 (Sunday) – Harare Sports Club, Harare