‘Coach’ VVS Laxman’s Team India leaves for Zimbabwe, T20 World Cup squad members to join later

The young Indian cricket team under interim coach VVS Laxman left for Zimbabwe late on Monday night to play a five-match T20I series starting July 6. The team will be led by Shubman Gill as the BCCI decided to rest all big players of India’s T20 World Cup-winning squad. The Rohit Sharma-led side beat South Africa in a nail-biting final on Saturday (June 29) to win the T20 World Cup after 17 years.

Even as the nation awaits the return of the World Cup-winning heroes who have been stranded in Barbados for the last two days due to a hurricane, another set of Indian cricketers have embarked on a new journey. They are likely to return to New Delhi on Wednesday night.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) took to X, sharing pictures of players leaving for Zimbabwe, including Abhishek Sharma, Mukesh Kumar, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Avesh Khan, and Riyan Parag.

NCA head Laxman will coach the squad, which features only three members from India’s World Cup-winning 15. BCCI has yet to announce India’s next head coach, who will replace Rahul Dravid after the former captain’s tenure ended with the World Cup.

Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube will likely join the squad later. Khaleel Ahmed and Rinku Singh who were also in the Caribbean islands as part of reserve players for India’s World Cup squad, will travel to Zimbabwe with Samson, Jaiswal and Dube.

Dube was initially not a part of this team but was added to the squad in place of injured Nitish Kumar Reddy.

The Zimbabwe series will mark a new chapter for India’s T20I team as it prepares for life after Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja. All three announced their retirement from the shortest format after the World Cup triumph.

It will be Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, and Tushar Deshpande’s first tryst with international cricket. They were selected on the back of an outstanding IPL 2024.

All eyes will be on Shubman Gill, who is set to make his captaincy debut for India. The right-handed opener missed a berth in India’s T20 World Cup squad and will be eager to stake a claim for the opener’s slot. A logjam at the top of the order is expected with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Jaiswal, Abhishek and Samson also in the squad. Jaiswal and Samson did not get a game in the World Cup. They are certain to start in the XI against Zimbabwe.

It will also be a golden opportunity for Washington Sundar, who did not get to play much in IPL 2024 but is seen as a possible replacement of Jadeja in T20Is.

Experienced batter Sikandar Raza was named as captain of a young Zimbabwe team. They also named Belgium-born Antum Naqvi in the squad but his final inclusion is subject to the confirmation of his citizenship status, Zimbabwe Cricket said in a release.

Naqvi was born to Pakistani parents in Brussels, Belgium, before moving to Australia, but he was considered for selection after he declared his desire to represent Zimbabwe in international cricket and applied for naturalisation.

India squad for Zimbabwe series: Ꮪhubman Gill (Captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (WK), Dhruv Jurel (WK), Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande.

Zimbabwe squad for India series: Sikandar Raza (captain), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Johnathan 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.