Sanju Samson Dropped, Mayank Yadav Returns- IPL

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, with several notable changes following the Ireland and England tours. Seven players from the previous squad — Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, and Prasidh Krishna have been left out as the selectors continue to test fresh talent ahead of the next T20 cycle.

The biggest talking point is the omission of Sanju Samson. The wicketkeeper-batter, who was named Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup 2026, has been dropped after scores of 5, 0 and 1 against Ireland and England. Samson had already lost his opening spot to teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, and he has now been excluded from the squad altogether. Prabhsimran Singh has been named as the second wicketkeeper, although Samson continues to remain part of India’s Asian Games 2026 squad.

Axar Patel, Washington Sundar Rested as Harsh Dubey and Rinku Singh Return

The selectors have also rested all-rounders Axar Patel and Washington Sundar for the Zimbabwe tour. In their place, Harsh Dubey and Rinku Singh have been included, giving the management another opportunity to assess players in different roles. While the replacements are not like-for-like, the move reflects the team’s focus on expanding its player pool ahead of future assignments.

India’s pace attack has also undergone significant changes. Harshit Rana and Arshdeep Singh have been rested, while express pacer Mayank Yadav has returned after recovering from injury. Yash Thakur has earned his maiden India call-up following an impressive India A tour of Sri Lanka. The changes indicate the selectors’ intention to build a larger fast-bowling group for the coming years.

Prasidh Krishna and Ravi Bishnoi have also lost their places after failing to impress during their T20I comeback. Fast bowler Ashok Sharma has been rewarded with his first India call-up and is expected to add extra pace to the attack alongside Mayank Yadav. Both bowlers are capable of consistently clocking speeds of over 150 kmph, giving India another exciting pace combination to monitor.

India’s squad for the Zimbabwe series:

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

The three-match series will be played in Harare, with the first T20I on July 23, followed by the second onJuly 25and the final match on July 26. The BCCI’s latest selections suggest the focus is now on identifying long-term prospects, especially with the next T20 World Cup not scheduled until 2028.