India head coach Gautam Gambhir asserted that Sanju Samson has been given complete clarity about his role after being dropped from the playing XI and did not rule out a comeback for the wicketkeeper-batter in the ongoing T20I series against England.

Samson has also been omitted from the squad for the upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. Gambhir maintained that the senior player remains in India’s plans in the five-match series, which the visitors trail 0-2 after two losses and a washout.

“The clarity that should have been given to Sanju Samson, he has got from me,” Gambhir said after India’s 125-run defeat in the third T20I in Nottingham, England, on Tuesday.

“And that conversation is between a head coach and a player. The contents of that conversation are obviously not something I’ll share with you.

“…we are absolutely clear that what Sanju has done for India, especially during the World Cup, has been phenomenal. Sometimes, though, you also have to look at the form of a certain player. There is no hard and fast rule that he cannot make a comeback in this series.”

Samson, who was adjudged Player of the Tournament at this year’s T20 World Cup, was replaced in the playing XI by 15-year-old batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi after scores of 5, 0 and 1 in his last three innings against Ireland and in the series-opener against England.

The 31-year-old was also left out of the squad for the three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, with the selectors preferring Prabhsimran Singh following his impressive IPL campaign for Punjab Kings.

Gambhir said team selection would continue to be based on current form and the combination that gives India the best chance of winning.

“Ultimately, international cricket is about results. Whatever we feel is the best combination to get us those results, we will play that combination and that playing XI,” he said.

“I’ve always believed that everyone needs to earn their place. Everyone needs to earn the right to play for India,” he added.

The start of England’s innings in the first T20I against India was delayed by rains here on Wednesday.

England needed 190 to win after India made 189 for seven, batting first, in the first tie of the five-match series.

India, coming off a 0-2 series loss to Ireland, made a poor start as they slipped to 6 for two but half-centuries from skipper Shreyas Iyer (68) and Abhishek Sharma (59) propelled them to a competitive total.

Shivam Dube struck a late 21-ball 42 not out.

Saqib Mahmood was the pick of England bowlers, returning 4-0-33-3.

Uncapped all-rounder James Coles was on Monday (June 22, 2026) named in England’s 17-member T20I squad to take on the three-time world champions India in a five match series starting next month.

Skipper Harry Brook will face a quick turnaround if the third and final Test against New Zealand lasts its duration with the contest set to be played at Nottingham from June 25-29.

England host Shreyas Iyer-led India for five T20Is with the opening match set to be played at Chester-le-Street on July 1.

The ECB had earlier moved the start time of those matches of the T20I series, which were set to be played under lights, ahead by an hour to ensure more TV viewership. The first, third and fourth T20Is will thus start at 10:00pm IST while the second and fifth will be played at 7:00pm IST.

The England squad is largely similar to the one which took on India in the semifinal of the T20 World Cup in March this year.

The second T20I will be played on July 4 at Manchester, while the third will be at Nottingham on July 7. The fourth and the fifth T20Is will be played at Bristol and Southampton on July 9 and 11 respectively.

Former Australia batter and England men’s incumbent national selector, Marcus North, said, “James Coles is an exciting addition and has earned his place following his performances with the England Lions and in T20 competitions here and abroad during the past 12 months.” “We have selected a larger squad to accommodate for the fact that this series will begin shortly after the Test series against New Zealand is due to conclude which allows us to be flexible,” North added.

Squad: Harry Brook (c), Rehan Ahmed, Jofra Archer, Sonny Baker, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell, Jos Buttler (wk), Phil Salt (wk), James Coles, Jordan Cox (wk), Sam Curran, Liam Dawson, Will Jacks, Saqib Mahmood, Adil Rashid, Josh Tongue, Luke Wood.