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Sanju Samson’s Asian Games 2026 dream is likely to be dashed after he was dropped from the Indian team for the upcoming three-match T20 series in Zimbabwe.
Even though the BCCI had announced the squad for the 2026 Asian Games in Japan last month, there is now a strong possibility of a last-minute change before the start of the tournament. Meanwhile, Gautam Gambhir is unhappy with Zimbabwe ignoring Sanju Samson.
Sanju Samson had to suffer the price of poor form!
Earlier this year, Sanju Samson played a key role in India’s successful T20 World Cup campaign and finished the tournament as the Player of the Tournament. But now, things changed completely for them.
The wicketkeeper-batsman has been left out of India’s squad for the upcoming three-match T20 series against Zimbabwe, raising fresh questions over his future in the national team.
The latest selection has made it clear that the Indian team management and selectors are ready to support the new generation of players. After the recent departure of T20I captain Suryakumar Yadav, the selectors have now taken another bold decision by dropping Samson.
The selection committee did not reveal whether the Kerala batsman was rested or simply dropped, leaving fans speculating about the reason behind his absence. Samson’s journey over the last few months has been a complete mix of ups and downs.
Their struggles in IPL 2026 led to India’s white-ball tours of Ireland and England. Samson could score only six runs in three T20 matches. Those disappointing performances led the selectors to take the bold decision of dropping Samson from the T20 squad, with teenage sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi getting a chance for the Zimbabwe tour.
Sanju Samson’s Asian Games 2026 dream in danger?
However, it is not limited to just the Zimbabwe tour. It is being said that Sanju Samson is no longer a part of India’s plans in T20Is and the main reason behind this is his inconsistency. Although BCCI had announced India’s squad for the 2026 Asian Games last month, there is a lot of possibility of changes in the team and Samson may lose his place.
According to the Times of India report, the BCCI can approach the relevant authorities to request for changes in the team if it has not done so yet. The report also suggested that the tournament rules allow teams to make changes in special circumstances, which could lead to the BCCI also making changes. Who dropped Sanju Samson against Zimbabwe? Report reveals the role of India’s decision makers
There is also uncertainty regarding India’s support staff for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour. Since there is very little time between the ongoing ODI series against England and the Zimbabwe tour, there are discussions on whether the regular coaching staff will travel or whether coaches from BCCI’s Center of Excellence will take charge for the Zimbabwe series.
Indian team for Asian Games 2026:
Shreyas Iyer (captain), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dubey, Tilak Verma (vice-captain), Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Varun Chakraborty, Ravi Bishnoi, Jasprit Bumrah, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Vaibhav Suryavanshi.
Well, Punjab Kings wicketkeeper-batsman Prabhsimran Singh earned his maiden India call-up as the second wicketkeeper. Prabhasimran’s selection has made the battle for the wicketkeeper’s post even more competitive.
With many options available, Samson now faces a tough road to return to India’s T20 team. He will need strong performances in domestic cricket to get back into the selectors’ plans.
