By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwe will sense a golden opportunity to pull off a major upset after India named an inexperienced squad featuring three uncapped players for this month’s three-match T20 International series in Harare.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday unveiled a 15-man squad that includes maiden senior call-ups for wicketkeeper-batter Prabhsimran Singh and fast bowlers Yash Thakur and Ashok Sharma.
All-rounder Harsh Dubey, who has played only two One-Day Internationals for India, has also earned his first T20I call-up.
The youthful squad is missing several of India’s established T20 stars, including Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Ravi Bishnoi and Harshit Rana, all of whom have been left out after featuring in India’s ongoing series against England.
Despite the absence of several big names, India will still be led by captain Shreyas Iyer, with Tilak Varma serving as vice-captain.
Teenage sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi (pictured above), who recently became India’s youngest-ever international cricketer at just 15 years and 99 days, has retained his place after making his debut against England.
Explosive batter Rinku Singh also returns to India’s T20 set-up, while express fast bowler Mayank Yadav is back after his last international appearance in late 2024.
For Zimbabwe, the relatively inexperienced Indian squad presents an opportunity to test one of world cricket’s powerhouses on home soil.
The Chevrons will be eager to make full use of familiar conditions at Harare Sports Club as they seek a memorable series victory against the former T20 world champions.
India’s previous T20I visit to Zimbabwe came in 2024 when they claimed a 4-1 series win, but with several debutants and a number of senior players absent this time around, Zimbabwe will believe they have a genuine chance of producing a shock result.
The three-match T20I series is scheduled to run from July 23 to 26 at Harare Sports Club.
India squad: Shreyas Iyer (captain), Tilak Varma, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Ishan Kishan, Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Varun Chakaravarthy, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav and Prabhsimran Singh.