Riyan Parag, the talented cricketer from Assam, was filled with excitement when he received his first call-up to the Indian team for the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe. His joy was so overwhelming that he momentarily forgot his passport and phone. The Indian squad landed in Harare on July 3, with Parag and other young players gearing up for the series starting on July 6.
In a video shared by the BCCI, Parag expressed his happiness and eagerness for the tour, fulfilling his childhood dream of representing India and wearing the national colours. He acknowledged the mix of new and familiar faces in the squad, mentioning that despite the newer players, he has shared the field with many of his teammates before.
Looking forward to his debut in Zimbabwe, Parag shared his special connection with the country, emphasising the significance of the moment for him. He also talked about the excitement surrounding the new team composition and his readiness to play alongside both old and new faces.
The Indian team, led by Shubman Gill, arrived in Zimbabwe early on Wednesday morning, with some last-minute changes to the squad. Players like Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Yashasvi Jaiswal were replaced by Harshit Rana, Sai Sudharsan, and Jitesh Sharma due to delayed arrivals. All matches of the series will be hosted in Harare.
The squad for the series includes Shubman Gill as Captain, along with Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel as wicketkeeper, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma as wicketkeeper, and Harshit Rana.