Harare back to their collective best, a group of young Indian stars will be keen to usher in a new era in the shortest format with a series win when they take on Zimbabwe in the fourth T20I here on Saturday.
After an unexpected defeat in the first match, the Shubman Gill-led team rediscovered their magic in the second and third games to take a 2-1 lead with comprehensive victories.
In the current cricketing landscape, a series win over Zimbabwe will not rank high in the pecking order, but it will certainly spark ambitions within some young players who are eager to take the team forward after the retirement of some modern-day greats. .
None offer more compelling examples of that scenario than Washington Sundar and Abhishek Sharma.
After Ravindra Jadeja's retirement from T20Is, Washington is considering the all-rounder and the Tamil Nadu man has shown some promising signs against Zimbabwe, taking six wickets with an excellent economy of 4.5.
Whenever the selectors meet to pick the Indian team for the upcoming white-ball tour to Sri Lanka, they will now have to seriously consider Washington's name.
The 24-year-old has given this Indian team the option of a bowler flexible enough to operate in and out of the Power Play, and a skilled lower-order batsman, who if the need arises, has the technique to raise the order as Good.
Abhishek hit a 47-ball hundred in the second T20I here, underlining the hope surrounding him as long-term India material.
India will no longer have the services of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the ultra-shortened version, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is the favorite to fill one of those top spots.
Abhishek will hope to further strengthen his claim for the other vacant top-level spot, for which there are other strong contenders such as Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad, with a thumping blow against the African team here tomorrow.
But this doesn't mean that some of the more established names like Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube have nothing to gain from this series.
They linked up with the team here after taking part in India's victory parade in Mumbai following the T20 World Cup triumph, where they played a limited or small role in that momentous run.
Therefore, the remaining two matches of this series will be an opportunity for Dube and Samson to remain in the front row of players who will take India into the future, putting in some valuable efforts.
The Indian management will also be pleased with the performance of their bowlers, particularly that of bowler Ravi Bishnoi, whose googlies were indecipherable to the home batsmen.
Bishnoi has six wickets, similar numbers to Washington and pacer Avesh Khan, who has proven to be a nimble customer in this series.
Mukesh Kumar could take the place of left-arm pacer Avesh Khan after being rested in the previous match, but the pacer, though he has taken four wickets, would certainly like to be more economical.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe have fallen a few notches after beating India in the first match.
There have been solitary sparks in their line-up, such as searing spells from the impressive pacer Blessing Muzarabani and a well-paced fifty from Dion Myers.
But they need to leverage them to significantly challenge this Indian unit, which is currently operating at a higher level.
Equipment:
India: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande.
Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (c), Akram Faraz, Bennett Brian, Campbell Johnathan, Chatara Tendai, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Madande Clive, Madhevere Wessly, Marumani Tadiwanashe, Masakadza Wellington, Mavuta Brandon, Muzarabani Blessing, Myers Dion, Naqvi Antum, Ngarava Richard, Shumba Milton.
The game starts at 4:30 p.m. IST.
After an unexpected defeat in the first match, the Shubman Gill-led team rediscovered their magic in the second and third games to take a 2-1 lead with comprehensive victories.
In the current cricketing landscape, a series win over Zimbabwe will not rank high in the pecking order, but it will certainly spark ambitions within some young players who are eager to take the team forward after the retirement of some modern-day greats. .
None offer more compelling examples of that scenario than Washington Sundar and Abhishek Sharma.
After Ravindra Jadeja's retirement from T20Is, Washington is considering the all-rounder and the Tamil Nadu man has shown some promising signs against Zimbabwe, taking six wickets with an excellent economy of 4.5.
Whenever the selectors meet to pick the Indian team for the upcoming white-ball tour to Sri Lanka, they will now have to seriously consider Washington's name.
The 24-year-old has given this Indian team the option of a bowler flexible enough to operate in and out of the Power Play, and a skilled lower-order batsman, who if the need arises, has the technique to raise the order as Good.
Abhishek hit a 47-ball hundred in the second T20I here, underlining the hope surrounding him as long-term India material.
India will no longer have the services of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in the ultra-shortened version, and Yashasvi Jaiswal is the favorite to fill one of those top spots.
Abhishek will hope to further strengthen his claim for the other vacant top-level spot, for which there are other strong contenders such as Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad, with a thumping blow against the African team here tomorrow.
But this doesn't mean that some of the more established names like Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube have nothing to gain from this series.
They linked up with the team here after taking part in India's victory parade in Mumbai following the T20 World Cup triumph, where they played a limited or small role in that momentous run.
Therefore, the remaining two matches of this series will be an opportunity for Dube and Samson to remain in the front row of players who will take India into the future, putting in some valuable efforts.
The Indian management will also be pleased with the performance of their bowlers, particularly that of bowler Ravi Bishnoi, whose googlies were indecipherable to the home batsmen.
Bishnoi has six wickets, similar numbers to Washington and pacer Avesh Khan, who has proven to be a nimble customer in this series.
Mukesh Kumar could take the place of left-arm pacer Avesh Khan after being rested in the previous match, but the pacer, though he has taken four wickets, would certainly like to be more economical.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe have fallen a few notches after beating India in the first match.
There have been solitary sparks in their line-up, such as searing spells from the impressive pacer Blessing Muzarabani and a well-paced fifty from Dion Myers.
But they need to leverage them to significantly challenge this Indian unit, which is currently operating at a higher level.
Equipment:
India: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Shivam Dube, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande.
Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (c), Akram Faraz, Bennett Brian, Campbell Johnathan, Chatara Tendai, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Madande Clive, Madhevere Wessly, Marumani Tadiwanashe, Masakadza Wellington, Mavuta Brandon, Muzarabani Blessing, Myers Dion, Naqvi Antum, Ngarava Richard, Shumba Milton.
The game starts at 4:30 p.m. IST.
