Sanju Samson In, No Ruturaj Gaikwad: India's Strongest Playing XI For Zimbabwe T20I Series

India will face Zimbawe in a five-match T20I series |courtesy-BCCI

KEY HIGHLIGHTS India will play a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe

Shubman Gill will lead the national team

5 players could make their debut for India

While all eyes are on the 2024 T20 World Cup, with the Rohit Sharma-led Team India set to play the semi-final of the mega event against England on Thursday (June 27) at the Providence Stadium in Guyana, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) selection committee has already laid down plans for the future by naming a much-changed 15-member squad for a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe.

Shubman Gill Indian cricket team for the first time in his career. As many as 13 players from the Indian squad playing in the mega event in the West Indies will not make the trip to Zimbabwe. The series, which will start on July 6, just a week after the T20 World Cup final in Barbados on June 29, will seelead thefor the first time in his career. As many as 13 players from the Indian squad playing in the mega event in the West Indies will not make the trip to Zimbabwe.

Yashasvi Jaiswal Sanju Samson andare the only two players in the 15-man squad playing in the T20 World Cup that have retained their spot for the Zimbabwe series, and both should find a place in the playing XI after not playing a single game in the tournament so far.

Jaiswal is set to open the innings with Gill, while Samson will come in at number three and be the team's first-choice wicketkeeper. Riyan Parag is set to make his India debut and should bat at number four. Another debutant is likely to be Nitish Kumar Reddy, who has been earmarked as a future successor to Hardik Pandya as a seam-bowling all-rounder.

Rinku Singh will take the number six spot in the playing XI after being shockingly left out of the T20 World Cup squad. Washington Sundar will be the team's spin-bowling all-rounder and bat at number seven.

Ravi Bishnoi will be the team's lone wrist spinner, while Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, and Mukesh Kumar should form a three-man pace attack.

Ruturaj Gaikwad This will mean Abhishek Sharma,, Dhruv Jurel, and Tushar Deshpande will warm the bench.

India Strongest Playing For Zimbabwe T20I Series: Shubman Gill (C), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Khaleel Ahmed, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.

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