Explained: Why Sanju Samson has been dropped for Zimbabwe T20Is
What's the story
Star opener Sanju Samson's absence from the Indian squad for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe drew mixed reactions from the cricket fraternity. The debate over his spot grew after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) did not explain his omission in their media release. According to a recent ESPNcricinfo report, sources close to the selection committee have revealed that they wanted to give Prabhsimran Singh the exposure.
Selection rationale
Exposure to Prabhsimran Singh
The Ajit Agarkar-led selection panel has opted to leave out Samson as they consider the Zimbabwe tour a "fringe series," according to the report. With Samson already in the India squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan, the selectors want to give exposure to another wicketkeeper-batter, Prabhsimran. Prabhsimran has impressed with his T20 performances, particularly in the last two IPL seasons with Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Performance review
Lean run in Ireland and England
Despite his stellar performance in the 2026 ICC T20 World Cup, where he was the Player of the Tournament, Samson has struggled on tours of Ireland and England. He scored just six runs in three matches before being dropped for the second T20I against England. However, his lean run isn't believed to be a reason behind his omission from the Zimbabwe tour.
Strategic shift
Disruption in India's middle order
The selectors and team management believe that playing both Samson and Ishan Kishan has disrupted the entire middle order. This has affected players like Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, and Axar Patel, who aren't batting in their positions. To address this issue, the selectors are looking to strengthen the lower middle order for stronger finishes in the T20 team.
Takeaways
A look at key takeaways
Samson had an impressive IPL 2026 season, scoring 477 runs from 14 matches at a strike rate of 165.62 for Chennai Super Kings (CSK). Even with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Samson's current replacement at the top, India's batting order has just one right-hander in Shreyas Iyer. The inclusion of Prabhsimran, who scored 510 runs (SR: 168.87) in IPL 2026, takes this tally to two.