Samson dropped again! IND vs ZIM squad has 3 surprises

India has announced its squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, which will begin on July 23 in Harare. Teenage batter Vaibhav Sooryavanshi has been included in the squad, while Sanju Samson has missed out. The team also features three new faces as the selectors continue to build a young core for the future.

Shreyas Iyer will lead Team India on the Zimbabwe tour, while Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain. The squad includes a good mix of experienced players and exciting young talent, with several changes made from the group currently touring England.

Along with Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Harsh Dubey, Prabhsimran Singh, Yash Thakur, and Ashok Sharma have earned their maiden India call-ups. The squad also includes familiar names such as Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Mayank Yadav, giving fans plenty to look forward to in the series.

Who are the 3 new young faces in India's Zimbabwe T20I squad?

India have included three new faces in their squad for the Zimbabwe T20I series. Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, and Prabhsimran Singh have received their maiden India call-ups after impressive performances in domestic cricket and the IPL. Mayank Yadav and Rinku Singh have also returned to the squad, while Varun Chakravarthy is back after recovering from injury.

Yash Thakur impressed for India A during the tour of Sri Lanka, taking wickets in both the 50-over tri-series and the red-ball series. Ashok Sharma earned his call-up after picking six wickets for the Gujarat Titans in IPL 2026 and finishing as the highest wicket-taker in the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy with 22 wickets in 10 matches.

Prabhsimran Singh also made a strong case for selection with consistent performances. He scored 510 runs for Punjab Kings in IPL 2026 and continued his good form for India A in Sri Lanka. India will begin the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe on July 23 at the Harare Sports Club, with the remaining matches scheduled for July 25 and 26.

Why was Sanju Samson dropped again? Here's what the selectors said

India have surprised many by leaving out wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson from the squad for the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. Despite playing a key role in India's T20 World Cup-winning campaign and being named Player of the Tournament, Samson has missed out on selection. His place has gone to teenage opener Vaibhav Sooryavanshi as the selectors continue to back young talent.

Although the BCCI has not released an official reason for Samson's omission, it is believed that his recent form influenced the decision. The wicketkeeper-batter struggled in his last few T20I appearances, scoring only a series of low scores. Along with Samson, Ravi Bishnoi, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, and Axar Patel have also been left out of the squad.

Samson's exclusion is expected to spark debate among fans, but the selectors appear to be focusing on recent performances and long-term planning. The Zimbabwe series gives India a chance to test its bench strength, with young players like Vaibhav Sooryavanshi expected to receive more opportunities at the international level.

Full India squad for Zimbabwe T20Is — See every name and role

All eyes will be on 15-year-old Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the Zimbabwe T20I series. The teenage batter missed out on his debut during the Ireland series but finally made his India debut in the second T20I against England, where he scored 14 runs off 10 balls. With another opportunity against Zimbabwe, fans will be eager to see how the youngster performs.

India Squad for Zimbabwe T20Is:

Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Varun Chakravarthy, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav and Prabhsimran Singh (WK).

India will play all three T20Is against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club. The matches are scheduled for July 23, July 25 and July 26. In a separate announcement, the BCCI also confirmed that Shivam Dube has replaced the injured Nitish Kumar Reddy in India's ODI squad for the ongoing England tour.