"Starless" India to face Zimbabwe in 1st ODI

© BCCI

Here we are again, an Indian team, missing almost all of its first-choice players,
is in Zimbabwe during the summer for another low-key series. The difference this time, as opposed to 2010, 2013 and 2015, is that India's ODI & t.20 captain MS Dhoni is present as captain and that when announcing the squad - one that features five uncapped players - the chairman of selectors emphatically stated that no player had asked for rest and that none had been granted rest.

Make up your own reasons  for all that, but the fact is that a three-match ODI series will get underway at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday with India, despite being paper thin on international experience barring Dhoni, the favourites. Zimbabwe of that there is no doubt ,will fight and this is their best shot at beating a visiting second-string Indian team in six years.

Zimbabwe are for first time playing ODI cricket after a gap of six months, having last played Afghanistan in January - a series they lost 2-3 - and with several experienced names back in the squad, there is hope that this series will not be as one-sided as clean sweeps in 2013 and 2015.
         

India have carried two specialist openers in Vidarbha's Faiz Fazal and KL Rahul , who has played Tests for India, and the pair look set for their ODI debuts. Manish Pandey, whose previous ODI innings was a match-winning century in Sydney, should rightfully claim the No 3 spot, which means that the uncapped Mandeep Singh may have to warm the bench. Karnataka batsman Karun Nair is a likely choice in the middle order, perhaps sandwiched between Ambati Rayudu and Dhoni.

Rishi Dhawan should claim the seam-bowling all rounder's slot, followed by Axar Patel as the specialist spinner. The left-arm pacer's spot will be contested between Barinder Sran and Jaydev Unadkat. Yuzvendra Chahal , who was the second-highest wicket-taker in the IPL, may have to wait for a debut.

Probable XI: 1 KL Rahul, 2 Faiz Fazal, 3 Manish Pandey, 4 Ambati Rayudu, 5 Karun Nair, 6 MS Dhoni (capt/wk), 7 Rishi Dhawan , 8 Axar Patel, 9 Dhawal Kulkarni, 10 Jasprit Bumrah, 11 Barinder Sran/Jaydev Unadkat