Has Sanju Samson Played His Last T20I? New Twist In India's Asian Games Squad

Sanju Samson was rested for IND Vs ZIM T20Is [Source: AFP]

The Indian cricket team is currently facing disastrous results against England during their 2026 T20I tour. After the Men in Blue, under new captain Shreyas Iyer, suffered a historic Ireland series defeat, the England tour brought further pain. 

After rain washed out the first T20I, India were dominated by England in the second match as well. Amid the team's abysmal outing in England, the BCCI announced the India squad for Zimbabwe T20Is, replacing Sanju Samson with young keeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh. 

Although Samson is believed to be rested and part of the India squad for the Asian Games 2026, a report from the Times of India suggests his joy may be short-lived. 

India’s Asian Games 2026 Squad can be modified, report claims

The current India squad, which features captain Shreyas Iyer alongside vice-captain Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson, Ishan Kishan, Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, among others, has been reported to have some important changes the Board of Control for Cricket in India is requesting. 

Whether that leads to an addition or a snub is still under speculation. However, fingers have already been pointed towards Samson by netizens. This development has been quite unfortunate for the T20 batter, who championed India to their T20 World Cup 2026 title this year.

BCCI can still make massive changes in India Squad

According to a Times of India report, India announced their squad for the Asian Games last month, but insiders revealed that there could be some last-minute changes. 

The BCCI is likely to approach the relevant authorities of the event with a request. If the rules and the committee permit them to do so, there might be exceptions that can even accommodate a player who is not part of the initial long list of India's squad. 

The report doesn't immediately conclude whether a player is being eliminated, replaced, or even added. Hence, the fog of mystery remains. However, Sanju Samson's India vs Zimbabwe snub has now raised speculations regarding the cricketer's future in the team’s setup.

Also Read- Ajit Agarkar's Biggest Issue With Sanju Samson Resurfaces After India vs Zimbabwe T20I Snub

Who Can Be The Potential Snub Or Addition In The Asian Games Squad?

A largely inconsistent Samson has found himself in trouble after disappointing in the Ireland series with five runs in the entire tour and just a one-run outing against England in the first T20I, which was washed out due to rain later. 

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi immediately replaced the opener in the playing XI, with the BCCI and the team management trusting the 15-year-old over their champion opening batter. 

However, Sanju Samson's inconsistency has troubled him over the last few years, and this might lead to a possible elimination from the Asian Games squad as well. 

If looked at further, Prabhsimran Singh, the star firebrand opener for Punjab Kings in the IPL, might also get a call-up to the tournament squad after the Zimbabwe tour. And he might also be one of the reasons why Samson might get the axe.

Sanju Samson’s IND vs ZIM Snub Calls For CSK Star’s Trouble

The Zimbabwe snub has made things particularly difficult for the Kerala-born batter, who was indeed looked upon as one of the primary forces as an opening batter alongside Abhishek Sharma. 

If Prabhsimran Singh proves to be worthy enough in the Zimbabwe tour, it is very much possible that the Gautam Gambhir and Ajit Agarkar-led management will replace him in the Asian Games 2026 squad. 

For the unaware, Prabhsimran Singh played 14 matches in IPL 2026 and managed to score a massive 510 runs at an average of 42.50 and a strike rate of 168.87. 

This underlines how impactful Prabhsimran is as an opener, replacing Sanju Samson as a right-handed batter to further strengthen the left-right opening combination alongside Abhishek Sharma.

Also Read: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Gets Clear Message From Team India Before 3rd T20I vs England