Sanju Samson is all set to return to India’s playing 11 for Sunday’s 2026 T20 World Cup clash against Zimbabwe. According to The Indian Express, Samson will replace lower-order batter Rinku Singh in the team, while all-rounder Axar Patel will also return to the first team, in the place of Washington Sundar.
Samson’s need in the team was felt after the 76-run defeat to South Africa, where the hosts were bundled out for just 111. It looked likely that one of Abhishek Sharma, who has only 15 runs after four innings in this tournament, and Tilak Varma, who has managed 102 in five innings, would be dropped.
Rinku making the way instead would be an interesting choice. Samson would have to be fit in the top three, considering his brief detour to the middle order during the 2025 Asia Cup didn’t work out.
This would mean either Ishan Kishan shifting to number three or Samson coming one down. In either case, Tilak and captain Suryakumar Yadav will be pushed down to four and five.
Tilak is on the record saying that he loves batting at number three the most, and he has played only seven innings below number four in T20Is, with one half-century. To make things further complicated, Axar’s best batting position is also number five — so he’ll also have to accept a lower-order role.
But adding one right-hander in place of Rinku, a lefty, would allow India to play several left-right combinations, which head coach Gautam Gambhir seems to love. It would also help the team counter opposition’s plans to start the innings with off-spinners, which put the Abhishek-Kishan combo in trouble.
Meanwhile, Axar coming in for Sundar was always expected. Suryakumar had caused a huge uproar by saying dropping Axar was a ‘tactical’ change. Sundar failed with the bat, scoring 11 (11), and bowled two wicketless overs. Follow all the live action from the match here.
