Samson omission part of 2028 T20 World Cup roadmap

The non-selection of Sanju Samson for the Zimbabwe series has created quite a stir, but the selection committee decision may not be, after all, for the wrong reasons. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not felt the need to explain why the T20 World Cup Player of the Tournament has been left out of the 15-man squad for the three-match T20I series. However, the decision appears to be part of a broader plan.

Those in the know say the selectors and the team management have already begun planning for the 2028 World Cup, with Prabhsimran Singh being picked ahead of Samson as part of that roadmap. The Zimbabwe series, a late addition to India's T20I itinerary, was always intended to serve that purpose. "When else can the new players be tried?" said a source familiar with the knowledge of long-term planning, adding that Samson has also been well explained about the thinking behind the selection call by the board.

It has been revealed that Samson continues to be part of the selectors' long-term strategy and that his omission is merely a temporary pause. He remains in India's squad for the Asian Games, and there is no thought of recalling him from the continental event.

Nor is Samson the only notable absentee from the Harare-bound squad. Arshdeep Singh, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Washington Sundar and Prasidh Krishna have also been left out. The selectors are clearly looking to test a wider pool of players with the 2028 World Cup in mind.

Samson may not have posted impressive numbers in the three matches in Ireland and England, but he appears to enjoy the confidence of the team management. In fact, one theory doing the rounds is that he voluntarily offered to sit out the Manchester T20I so that Vaibhav Sooryavanshi could be accommodated in the XI. Television cameras captured Samson engaged in what appeared to be a serious discussion ahead of the second T20I at Old Trafford Cricket Ground.

If anyone has reason to feel aggrieved, it would be KL Rahul, who has returned significantly better numbers than Prabhsimran. Both fall into the wicketkeeper-batter category, but while Rahul scored 593 runs at a strike rate of 174.41, the Punjab Kings player managed 510 runs at a strike rate of 168.87. That is a different debate of course.

Meanwhile, as per the BCCI's log records, the coaching staff for the Zimbabwe tour in July and the Asian Games in September will be drawn from the Centre of Excellence (CoE). VVS Laxman is expected to lead the support staff, with fellow CoE coaches Sunil Joshi and Hrishikesh Kanitkar likely to join him.

The arrangement is particularly important as the Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, will overlap with India's home series against the West Indies and will be preceded by a three-match T20I series against Afghanistan in mid-September in India. The Afghanistan T20Is, incidentally, will be 'away' games, as the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) will be the host board, officially.

As per the Zimbabwe tour itinerary, some members of the Indian squad will arrive in Harare on July 19, while the remaining players will join on July 20 after the third and final ODI at Lord's on July 19. The team will rest and train from July 20 to 22 and again on July 24, with practice sessions scheduled from 1:30 pm to 4:30 pm (local time). All three T20Is, on July 23, 25 and 26, will begin at 1:00 pm (local time).

Click here to read article