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Opportunity for Zim as India rest key players

Sport
ZIMBABWE have been presented with a golden opportunity to register a series win against India at home after the World Cup losing finalists named a second string side for the three ODIs and two T20s starting on July 10 in the capital.

ZIMBABWE have been presented with a golden opportunity to register a series win against India at home after the World Cup losing finalists named a second string side for the three ODIs and two T20s starting on July 10 in the capital.

BY DANIEL NHAKANISO

India left out eight key players who were part of the squad which recently suffered a shock 2-1 ODI series loss to Bangladesh.

Middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane was chosen as captain of the depleted squad as the Indian selectors decided to rest several seniors including Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Suresh Raina and Ravichandran Ashwin All-rounder Ravindra Jadeja was dropped from the squad due to poor form while paceman Umesh Yadav was demoted to the India A squad that will participate in a tri-series against Australia A and South Africa A from July 19.

“The Indian team did not do well in Bangladesh, we felt the same. (But) we have to move forward and considering the domestic cricket to be played, we have picked this side, looking at the 2016 T20 World Cup,” the Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI) chairman of selectors Sandeep Patil told reporters in New Delhi yesterday.

“We had picked the best possible team that played at the World Cup and keeping the future series in mind, whether it is Sri Lanka, or South Africa home series, Twenty20 World Cup or the Australia series, we have decided to rest a few players, who need urgent rest,” he said.

The team comprises three specialist spinners in veteran Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel and Karn Sharma, while the pace department will be spearheaded by Bhuvneshwar Kumar.

Singh, who turns 35 on Friday, has not played one-day cricket for India since 2011 and Twenty20 matches since 2012 while seamer Sandeep Sharma and batsman Manish Pandey were the two uncapped players in the squad.

Meanwhile Zimbabwe Cricket selection convener Givemore Makoni says instead of announcing a final 15-man squad they were likely to pick their playing 11 from the extended squad of 20-players currently preparing for the upcoming series.

“We will be meeting as the selectors but I don’t think we are going to trim the squad since we are playing at home,” Makoni told NewsDay Sport in an interview yesterday.

“We’ve got a squad of 20 players which has been training and I think it’s going to stay as it is and we will only pick the playing team for each of the matches from that group of players,” said Makoni.

All matches will be played at Harare Sports Club, with the one-dayers scheduled for July 10, 12 and 14, and the Twenty20 games on July 17 and 19.

India squad: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma Zimbabwe training squad: Sikandar Raza Butt, Regis Chakabva, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura (Captain), Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Roy Kaia, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Richmond Mutumbami, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams