India have announced a 15-member squad for the upcoming three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, starting July 23 at the Harare Sports Club. The squad has a few big changes from the group currently playing against England, with Sanju Samson being the biggest name left out.
Samson’s omission is the marquee call, and fast bowler Ravi Bishnoi has also missed out. Several other England-tour names — Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna — are not on the Zimbabwe trip either, but most of them have been retained in India’s ODI squad for the concurrent England series rather than being dropped. The BCCI has not spelt out its reasoning for the straight selection calls.
Shreyas Iyer to lead India again
Shreyas Iyer will continue as India’s captain for the Zimbabwe T20I series, while Tilak Varma has been named vice-captain. The squad includes a mix of young talent, returning players and a few fresh faces as India continue to test their bench strength in T20 cricket.
Rinku Singh and Mayank Yadav back in squad
There is good news for Rinku Singh and Mayank Yadav, who have both returned to the Indian T20I setup.
Rinku comes back after missing the recent tour of England, having last featured in India’s T20 World Cup-winning campaign earlier this year. He will once again be seen as an important middle-order option, with his finishing ability remaining one of his biggest strengths, and this series gives him a chance to make his mark again.
Fast bowler Mayank Yadav also makes a comeback after a long injury break — his first India call-up since late 2024. Mayank has struggled with injuries over the last year and missed a lot of cricket, so his return will be closely watched by fans and the team management.
Harsh Dubey gets maiden T20I call-up
One of the biggest talking points in the squad is the selection of Harsh Dubey, who has earned his maiden T20I call-up. The left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder recently made his ODI debut for India against Afghanistan in June and has now been rewarded with a place in the T20I side as well.
Dubey’s rise has been built on a remarkable domestic record. In the 2024-25 Ranji Trophy he took 69 wickets — the most by any bowler in a single season — and added 476 runs to win Player of the Tournament as Vidarbha lifted the title. He has also caught the eye at Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, where his wickets have included the likes of Virat Kohli.
He is not the only uncapped name in the mix. Punjab’s Prabhsimran Singh comes in as a wicketkeeping option alongside Ishan Kishan, effectively filling the gap left by Samson, while pacer Ashok Sharma and Mumbai all-rounder Suryansh Shedge are also in line for possible India debuts.
India squad for Zimbabwe T20Is
India squad: Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma (Vice-Captain), Ishan Kishan (WK), Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, Prabhsimran Singh (WK)
Zimbabwe vs India T20I series schedule
1st T20I: July 23, 2026 – Harare
2nd T20I: July 25, 2026 – Harare
3rd T20I: July 26, 2026 – Harare
Big chance for India’s new-look T20 side
With several senior players missing, the Zimbabwe series gives India another chance to test their young players and squad depth. The return of Rinku Singh and Mayank Yadav adds experience and excitement, while the maiden call-ups for Harsh Dubey and others show that the selectors are keeping an eye on strong domestic and IPL performances.
The biggest talking point, however, remains Sanju Samson’s exclusion. Named Player of the Tournament at the T20 World Cup only months ago, and then dropped mid-series in England, the wicketkeeper-batter has now been left out of the setup altogether — a fall that is bound to spark plenty of discussion among fans.
It will now be interesting to see how this new-look Indian side performs in Harare later this month.
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