A much younger India cricket team, led by skipper Shubman Gill, will take on Zimbabwe in the upcoming T20I series. With the retirement of stalwarts Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja, the window of opportunities for youngsters has been thrown open wide.
The likes of Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Tushar Deshpande and other, who were big hits in IPL 2024, will finally reap their rewards. Meanwhile, Gill will look to make a statement as the captain for this series and will hope to put on a strong show. The Gill-led Team India departed for Harare on July 1. Gill joined the team in Harare after a short break in the USA.
Predicted India XI for 1st T20I
Yashasvi Jaiswal
Shubman Gill (C)
Ruturaj Gaikwad
Sanju Samson (wk)
Rinku Singh
Shivam Dube
Washington Sundar
Ravi Bishnoi
Mukesh Kumar
Khaleel Ahmed
Avesh Khan
Comeback after setback
Yashasvi Jaiswal is set to make a comeback to the side after warming the bench throughout the T20 World Cup. The swashbuckling southpaw will pair up with skipper Shubman Gill as they will aim to get India off to a flying start. CSK skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad is expected to occupy the important number three role.
A middle order that can go bonkers
Veteran Sanju Samson, explosive finishers Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube will comprise of the middle-order. While Dube featured in all of India’s T20 World Cup games, Sanju and Rinku were warming the benches after being unable to find a spot in the XI. The series against Zimbabwe is a perfect scenario for these stars to redeem themselves, riding on the back of an explosive T20 season.
IND vs ZIM News
New spin twins and pacers for India
The spinner combination for the game might look like the duo of Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi. Despite having Abhishek Sharma in the arsenal, India will opt for the more experienced duo as they head into the first fame. Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan will be the frontline pacers for India, filling in the shoes of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Siraj and Hardik Pandya.
India Squad for Zimbabwe
Shubman Gill (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Harshit Rana