The World Cup victory jubiliations still continue for India but what needs to be done has to be done. With three out of the eleven who won the final game having already bidden farewell to the format and the next World Cup slated to be played in India, the team has to be restocked with champions to defend the title successfully. Shubman Gill has been relayed the task to lead this team of young applicants and let them make a convincing case for themselves for the senior team.
Zimbabwe had a more than decent run during the previous T20 World Cup, But they failed to make it through to the mega-event this year. This time, however, under Sikander Raza as their skipper and Justin Sammons as the coach, they would hope for things to take a turn for good because they are far ahead of a team that struggles to beat associate nations, that too in T20s.
Team Preview:
India is going with their wet behind-the-ears squad. For the first two matches, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson won’t be a part of the squad since they are still at the after-victory party. Shubman Gill is likely to open with Abhishek Sharma who has enjoyed a stellar IPL season with Sunrisers Hyderabad. The top-order slots, especially, are more of a door-knocker for selectors as India would need to fill those with someone worthy of fitting in Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli’s shoes. Gill himself will want to do better if he wishes to retain both the place and captaincy. Rinku Singh was denied a place in the squad with Shuvam Dube getting preferred over him during the T20 World Cup. However, he jogs back to the middle order now and India can tag their hopes on him to strengthen the team with his knack for giving it all on big stages.
Zimbabwe will be going without their mainstays Craig Ervine, Ryan Burl, and Sean Williams this series. While Williams announced his retirement from the shortest format and Ervine has been going through a lean phase, it is Burl whose exclusion has surprised the most. Although he has been quite timid since the start of this year, he has only played five games which is not a sample size big enough to drop someone like him. Tendai Chatara, Milton Shumba, and Wesley Madhevere will fill in for the mentioned triumvirate. Much like India, Zimbabwe are also going with the young guys on this tour, with only Sikander Raza older than 30 years of age.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Zimbabwe and India have played eight shortest-format games against each other, with India dominating the Chevrons by 6-2. Their latest encounter was in the World T20 2022 when the Zimbabwean team lost by 71 runs.
Weather and Pitch Report:
All five games of the tour are scheduled to be played at Harare Sports Club. The rain will likely stay away with pleasant weather waiting for the teams to cross their swords. Harare has a hard surface which provides true bounce for the batters to middle the ball perfectly. Spinners can also hope to wreak havoc, especially in the middle overs.
Prediction:
Although an entirely different Indian team lifted the World Cup a week ago, Shubman Gill’s men will still be full of the euphoria and morale impetus this victory has brought to their countrymen. Gill would fancy continuing Rohit Sharma’s legacy, albeit on a way smaller stage. Things point toward India being the favorite in this game, however, the affair might not be a one-sided one.
Where to Watch:
India – Sony Sports Network (Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 4, and Sony Sports Ten 5) and Sony Liv App (Live Streaming)
Rest of the World: Crichd.tv (Live Streaming)
