As India edges closer to potentially ending a long-standing title drought in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, significant changes are on the horizon for their upcoming white-ball assignment. A young Indian side is set to tour Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series starting on July 6. Key players, including Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, and Suryakumar Yadav, are expected to be rested for this series.
According to a report by the Indian Express, Shubman Gill, the skipper of Gujarat Titans in the IPL, is likely to lead the team in the absence of the senior players. This decision underscores the selectors' intention to give emerging talents a platform to showcase their skills at the international level.
The provisional squad for the Zimbabwe series reportedly includes several IPL standouts and players who have been on the fringes of the national team. The list features:
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- Abhishek Sharma (maiden call-up)
- Riyan Parag
- Nitush Kumar Reddy (whose part-time seam bowling adds to his value)
- Tushar Deshpande
- Harshit Rana
- Sanju Samson
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Rinku Singh
The senior selection committee, led by Ajit Agarkar, has apparently already picked a provisional 20-member squad and is awaiting confirmations from Hardik Pandya and Suryakumar Yadav regarding their availability.
In addition to the squad changes, there will be a temporary shift in the coaching staff. With Rahul Dravid's tenure as head coach concluding after the T20 World Cup 2024, VVS Laxman will take over the coaching responsibilities for the Zimbabwe tour. This arrangement will remain in place until the BCCI announces the next full-time head coach.
This tour provides a significant opportunity for young and emerging players to establish themselves on the international stage, and it also allows the senior members to rest and recuperate after the demanding World Cup campaign.