Ajinkya Rahane questions Sanju Samson's omission from Zimbabwe T20I squad
New Delhi, July 7
Indian cricketer Ajinkya Rahane expressed surprise over the omission of wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson from India's T20I squad for the Zimbabwe tour, saying he hoped the selectors had communicated the decision to the player.
Sharing an Instagram Story, Rahane backed Samson and said he expected the wicketkeeper-batter to return to the national side soon.
"Hope there has been some communication with @imsanjusamson. Find it odd that the hero of our recent T20 WC win has been left out of the T20 squad to Zimbabwe. Hope to see him back in the team soon," Rahane wrote on his Instagram Story.
Rahane's remarks came after the announcement of India's squad for the Zimbabwe T20I series, which did not include Samson despite his contributions during India's successful ICC T20 World Cup campaign.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on July 6 announced the 15-member squad for the three-match T20I series, with Ashok Sharma, Prabhsimran Singh and Yash Thakur earning their maiden India call-ups.
The T20I series between India and Zimbabwe will start from July 23.
India will play the 1st T20I on July 23, the 2nd on July 25, and the 3rd on July 26, all scheduled to be played in Harare. While Iyer will captain the side, Sooryavanshi keeps his spot after playing his first game for India during the ongoing India vs England five-match T20I series. Tilak Varma, on the other hand, will be Iyer's deputy.
India's squad for Zimbabwe:
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Varun Chakaravarathy, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Prabhsimran Singh (WK).
— ANI
Reader Comments
Rahane is right to speak up. Samson hasn't been given a consistent run in T20Is despite performing whenever called. Giving chances to new players is fine, but you can't drop someone who just won you a World Cup. Hope the communication is clearer behind closed doors. 🇮🇳
As a foreign observer, this is surprising. In most international teams, a player who contributes to a World Cup win gets selected for the next series, even if it's just for continuity. India's selection policies sometimes prioritize experiments over merit. Curious to see how this plays out.
Everyone forgets that Samson has been injured on and off. Maybe selectors want to give him rest and test backups? Prabhsimran and Kishan are good options. But yes, communication is key—players deserve to know why they're dropped. Rahane is looking out for his teammate, fair enough.
Honestly, Samson should have been in the squad. He's been consistent in IPL and did well in the World Cup. But I think the management wants to give chances to younger players like Yash Thakur and Ashok Sharma. Still, it feels harsh. Rahane's post is a class act. 👏
Intriguing squad selection. Samson's T20I average is solid and his keeping has improved. Maybe the selectors are looking at the long-term and want to groom someone else. But dropping a World Cup hero without explanation is poor PR. Rahane speaking up might force some answers from the BCCI.
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.