Shubman Gill to Lead Young Squad in Five-Match T20 Series in Zimbabwe Starting July 6
In Short:
- Shubman Gill named captain of India’s T20I squad for Zimbabwe tour.
- Newcomers Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Riyan Parag join the team.
- Squad includes only two players from India’s T20 World Cup team.
India's T20I squad for the upcoming five-match series against Zimbabwe features a fresh lineup led by Shubman Gill. Set to begin on July 6, the series includes new talents like Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, and Riyan Parag, who have earned their spots following impressive IPL 2024 performances.
Making his debut as the second wicketkeeper, Dhruv Jurel joins the T20I squad after playing his first Test match against England earlier this year.
Among the squad, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson are the only members who were part of India's T20 World Cup team, as the rest are on a break post-tournament. Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan, and Khaleel Ahmed, who were reserves for the World Cup, also make the cut for the Zimbabwe tour.
The team, departing for Zimbabwe on July 1, will be under the interim coaching of VVS Laxman, following the end of Rahul Dravid's tenure with the T20 World Cup.
Tilak Varma, who played 16 T20 internationals since his debut last year, is missing from the lineup due to finger injuries from IPL 2024, currently undergoing rehabilitation at the NCA in Bangalore. Varma was instrumental in India's recent series against Afghanistan and had a notable IPL season, scoring 416 runs.
Abhishek Sharma's selection comes after a standout IPL 2024 with Sunrisers Hyderabad, where he scored 484 runs with a striking rate of 204.21 and hit the most sixes of the season (42). He was also pivotal in Punjab’s victory in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, tallying 485 runs with a 192.46 strike rate.
Riyan Parag emerged as a key player for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2024, amassing 573 runs and ranking third among the season’s top run-scorers. His consistent performance, with seven 40-plus scores, solidified his spot.
Nitish Reddy, a promising 21-year-old seam-bowling allrounder, impressed selectors with his IPL performance, scoring 303 runs and taking three wickets. Part of the BCCI’s young talent pool monitored by the NCA, Reddy has shown great potential.
Tushar Deshpande, who led in wickets for Chennai Super Kings with 17 in IPL 2024, is also part of the squad.
India's T20I matches against Zimbabwe will be held in Harare on July 6, 7, 10, 13, and 14.
India's T20I Squad for Zimbabwe Tour:
- Shubman Gill (Captain)
- Yashasvi Jaiswal
- Ruturaj Gaikwad
- Abhishek Sharma
- Rinku Singh
- Sanju Samson (WK)
- Dhruv Jurel (WK)
- Nitish Reddy
- Riyan Parag
- Washington Sundar
- Ravi Bishnoi
- Avesh Khan
- Khaleel Ahmed
- Mukesh Kumar
- Tushar Deshpande