: He has mostly led a formidable bunch of limited-overs specialists but it will be a different sort of challenge for M.S. Dhoni when he leads a new-look Indian cricket team against Zimbabwe in the first ODI of a short series starting here on Saturday.
Over the years, the series in Zimbabwe has always featured limited-overs matches played post-IPL where the BCCI sends its second-string outfits to test the bench strength.
The second string outfits have, in fact, effected back-to-back whitewashes 5-0 and 3-0 in 2013 and 2015 respectively.
The squad of 15 comprises as many as five uncapped players but it has gained special significance because of Dhoni, who will be playing in the African nation after 11 long years.
The last time when Dhoni played in Zimbabwe back in 2005, his international career was barely six months old and Sourav Ganguly was in charge.
Most of the players selected are by no means in the scheme of things once the first team players come back but someone like Manish Pandey knows that it will be an opportunity for him to stake claim to Suresh Raina’s place. For Axar, it is an opportunity to show the critics that he is more than just a one-dimensional spinner while Rayudu will also be itching to regain his confidence post the home series against South Africa last year after which he was dropped.
Speedster Jasprit Bumrah, with his lethal yorkers, is again expected to shoulder the burden of being the strike bowler. Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal’s performance will also be closely monitored after a fantastic IPL.
Consistency has been Zimbabwe’s real problem over the years, not to forget the dip in the skill level and quality of players that have emerged from the ranks.
Still Vusimuzi Sibanda, Elton Chigumbura, Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Craig Ervine and Sean Williams are some of the familiar names, who have played long enough and can cause a few problems for the rookie Indians.
Chigumbura, in fact, will be the third Zimbabwean player after Flower brothers — Andy (213 ODIs) and Grant (221 ODIs) — to complete a coveted landmark of 200 ODIs for his country.
The teams (from) :
India : M.S. Dhoni (capt. & wk), K.L. Rahul, Faiz Fazal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu, Kedar Jadhav, Mandeep Singh, Rishi Dhawan, Jasprit Bumrah, Jayant Yadav, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jaydev Unadkat, Dhawal Kulkarni, and Axar Patel.
Zimbabwe:
Graeme Cremer (capt.), Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Tendai Chisoro, Craig Ervine, Neville Madziva, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Peter Moor, Twanada Mupariwa, Richard Mutumbami (wk), Taurai Muzarabani, Vusimuzi Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, and Sean Williams.
