The hosts need to start again after failing to qualify for the recent T20 World Cup
\nHARARE
\nZimbabwe and India will be looking to the future when they start a five-match Twenty20 international series at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
\nOutgoing Indian coach Rahul Dravid described India\u2019s win in the T20 World Cup in Barbados last Saturday as the end of \u201ca journey of two years\u201d.
\nWith the next T20 World Cup scheduled for India and Sri Lanka in 2026, the series in Zimbabwe marks the start of a new two-year journey for both sides.
\nBut whereas India will be seeking to build on last weekend\u2019s triumph, Zimbabwe need to start again after failing to qualify for the recent global event. They were squeezed out by Namibia and Uganda in the Africa region qualifier in Namibia last November.
\nNone of India\u2019s World Cup winners will be in action in the first two matches on Saturday and Sunday but squad members Yashasvi Jaiswal, Shivam Dube and Sanju Samson will be available for the last three games.
\nThe trio returned to India with the rest of the World Cup squad after their departure from Barbados was delayed by a hurricane.
\nSai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana were named as replacements for the first two matches.
\nShubman Gill will captain a second-string Indian team. He is one of several players who can stake an early claim to fill the gap left by star batsmen Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, who announced their retirement from T20 internationals after victory in Barbados.
\nAnother player who needs to be replaced is left-arm spin bowling all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who also announced his retirement from the shortest international format.
\nRiyan Parag and Rana, both 22, and Abhishek Sharma, 23, are in line to win their first international caps.
\nWith India yet to announce a long-term successor to Dravid, interim coach VVS Laxman will be in charge in Harare.<\/p>\n
Squads:
\nZimbabwe: Sikander Raza (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Johnathon (correct) Campbell, Tendai Chatara, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Antum Naqvi, Richard Ngarava, Milton Shumba.
\nIndia (for first two matches only): Shubman Gill (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel (wkt), Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma (wkt), Harshit Rana.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The hosts need to start again after failing to qualify for the recent T20 World Cup HARARE Zimbabwe and India will be looking to the future when they start a five-match Twenty20 international series at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday. Outgoing Indian coach Rahul Dravid described India\u2019s win in the T20 World Cup in […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-416935","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-sports"},"yoast_head":"\n