There has been a debate on this after the Board of Control for Cricket in India Sanju Samson was dropped from the team For a three-match T20I series in Zimbabwe. India head coach Gautam Gambhir is reportedly unhappy with the selection committee’s decision to drop the wicketkeeper-batsman after some low scores.
Sanju Samson played a key role in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup win and won the Player of the Tournament award. However, he recorded poor scores against Ireland and England. The 31-year-old lost his place in the playing eleven for the second T20I before being left out of the 15-man squad for the Zimbabwe tour.
Gautam Gambhir angry over selection committee’s exclusion of Sanju Samson
Many reports said that Sanju Samson has been rested for the Zimbabwe T20 series. However, Dainik Jagran sports journalist Abhishek Tripathi said there is no reason to rest Samson, who does not play all three formats for India. He also alleged that some selectors were working beyond their role.
“Now some people will write that Sanju Samson has been given rest. He has not been given rest. Does Sanju play all three formats so he needs rest? Some selectors have started considering themselves like God. There are going to be many problems in the coming days.”
Some reports initially claimed that Samson had been rested for the Zimbabwe series. However, that explanation has been questioned as players like Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Verma are part of the squad, while Samson, who mainly plays T20Is for India, has been left out.
The new selector is trying to act like a boss – Journalist on Sanju Samson’s omission
Sports Today journalist Nitin K Srivastava also questioned the decision. He suggested that there could be clear differences of opinion between the selection committee and the team management. He indicated that some selectors are trying to exert too much control over team decisions.
“It seems like there is a huge gap between the selection panel and the team management and some of the new selectors are trying to act like a boss.”
This decision has also been criticized by fans on social media. Many believe that Samson deserved a longer innings after playing a key role in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup campaign. His omission after some low scores has heightened the debate over India’s selection policy at the start of the new T20I cycle.
That’s why GG is angry with the selection committee after ousting Sanju.
These two are like spokespersons for GG pic.twitter.com/Mgs1LOeS3b
– Sawai96 (@aspirant_9457) July 6, 2026
Sanju Samson left out despite stellar performance in India’s T20 World Cup win
India has often used tours of Zimbabwe to give international experience to young players. However, Sanju Samson’s omission has become the biggest talking point after the team announcement.
Samson played an important role in India’s 2026 T20 World Cup title win. He won the Player of the Tournament award after scoring three consecutive half-centuries in India’s last three wins, including crucial innings against England in the semi-finals and New Zealand in the final.
He scored 321 runs in five matches in the tournament at an average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37. However, the 31-year-old struggled after the World Cup. He scored only six runs in three innings against Ireland and England, including three single-digit scores.
India left him out of the second T20I against England, where Vaibhav Suryavanshi made his debut. Two days later, the selectors left Samson out of the 15-man squad for the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe starting on July 23 in Harare.