📷 Image Credits: India Today
India’s captain for the forthcoming 5-match T20I series against Zimbabwe, Shubman Gill, has confirmed the opening pair for the first match. Gill announced that he will be partnering with the exciting young prospect Abhishek Sharma at the top of the order. Abhishek Sharma, who impressed in the IPL 2024 season while playing for SRH, has been rewarded with a maiden call-up to the Indian squad for the Zimbabwe series. The left-hander, hailing from Punjab like Gill, is considered one of the most promising talents in Indian cricket. The announcement was made by Shubman Gill during a press interaction in Harare ahead of the team’s first T20I match scheduled for July 6. Additionally, Gill mentioned that CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad will assume the No. 3 batting position for the team. With the retirement of stalwarts like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja post the T20 World Cup 2024, India is looking to transition to a younger generation of players who have shown their mettle in the IPL and domestic cricket. The BCCI had unveiled India’s squad for the tour on June 24, featuring several promising youngsters who have made a mark in recent times. Notable inclusions were Riyan Parag and Abhishek Sharma, both standout performers in the IPL 2024 season. Unfortunately, Nitish Reddy, another exciting prospect, had to withdraw from the squad due to a sports hernia. He was replaced by Shivam Dube. The updated Indian squad for the Zimbabwe tour comprises of players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson, Dhruv Jurel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Shivam Dube, and more. The series aims to provide valuable international exposure to young talents like Abhishek Sharma and Riyan Parag, as per the aspirations of skipper Shubman Gill who will be leading the team for the first time. The team also includes seasoned players like Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who played pivotal roles in India’s T20 World Cup triumph but have been given a break for the Zimbabwe series to freshen up after the World Cup celebrations.
