India’s fringe players will have the opportunity to showcase their talents when they take on an improving Zimbabwe side in a three-match one-day international series, which starts Friday.
With India resting seven players for the tour, Ajinkya Rahane has been given the task of leading an inexperienced squad that possesses just 479 one-day caps – 229 of which belong to recalled spinner Harbhajan Singh.
“It’s a good opportunity for all of us to express ourselves. We’re taking Zimbabwe very seriously,” Rahane said. “This is a good platform to showcase our talent here and do well at the international level.”
Zimbabwe have shown improvement under experienced coach Dav Whatmore and they ran Pakistan close in the majority of games on a recent trip to the subcontinent.
“They played pretty well in Pakistan, and they have good, experienced batsmen, good all-rounders and bowlers, and they are getting better day by day. So we respect them, but at the same time we will play our own cricket,” Rahane said.
The series will be one of the first to be played under the new playing conditions released by the International Cricket Council recently. Compulsory catchers will no longer be required in the opening 10 overs, the batting powerplay has been abandoned and teams can now have five fielders outside the circle in the final 10 overs.
The three ODIs will be played at Harare Sports Club today, Sunday and Tuesday, and will be followed by two Twenty20 internationals at the same venue on July 17 and 19.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka batting great Kumar Sangakkara will end his international career at the P Sara Oval next month in the second match of the three-Test series against familiar foes India.
Last month, Sri Lanka’s most prolific batsman announced his decision to retire after the second Test against India, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious 15-year stay at the crease.
The Indian and the Sri Lankan cricket boards announced the tour itinerary on Thursday, confirming Galle as the venue for the first Test starting on August 12. The second Test will be Sangakkara’s 134th and final appearance, from August 20.
The former captain has scored 12,305 runs from 132 Tests at an average of slightly higher than 58, to go with his 14,234 runs in 404 one-day internationals.
New Zealand
New Zealand captain Brendon McCullum is one of several World Cup stars missing from the Black Caps’ squad named on Thursday for next month’s tour of Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Pace spearheads Trent Boult (back injury) and Tim Southee (rested), and all-rounder Corey Anderson (back injury) are also staying home.
Coach Mike Hesson said the Black Caps still should be able to display the form that took them to the World Cup final and called on others to “step up” behind captain Kane Williamson.
“Our focus is on continuing to produce strong team performances, rather than be distracted by the presence or absence of specific individuals,” he said.
The one new face is spinner Ish Sodhi, who will play in Zimbabwe before being replaced by Doug Bracewell in South Africa.
New Zealand play three one-day internationals and one Twenty20 in Zimbabwe before three ODIs and two Twenty20s in South Africa.
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