India has announced the inclusion of Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Nitish Reddy, and Tushar Deshpande for their five-match T20I series in Zimbabwe. Shubman Gill will lead a youthful squad featuring Tushar Deshpande and Dhruv Jurel. Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad batter Abhishek Sharma receives his maiden call-up following an impressive IPL season, where he emerged as the top six-hitter with 42 sixes in 16 games. Riyan Parag, who finished third in the run-scorers list with 573 runs in his breakthrough season with Rajasthan Royals, also joins the squad for the first time. Both batters are also handy spin options, adding to their selection merits.
Dhruv Jurel, whose stocks have risen following a promising start to his Test career with high-pressure knocks against England, continues to be in the spotlight. Despite an underwhelming IPL season, his abilities as a lower-order hitter have secured his place in the squad, reports Cricket Live Score.
Nitish Reddy’s all-round potential earns him a spot as India looks for a backup for Hardik Pandya. The SRH batter impressed with his batting, though his bowling is still a work in progress.
Tushar Deshpande, another uncapped player, has caught attention with his domestic performances and consistent back-to-back seasons with the Chennai Super Kings in the IPL.
The rest of the squad includes regulars who have frequently appeared for India over the past 24-36 months. Sanju Samson is expected to be the primary wicket-keeper batter, with Jurel as the backup option. Ruturaj Gaikwad returns to the mix, and it will be interesting to see his batting position given that skipper Gill is also an opening batter. With Yashasvi Jaiswal also in the squad, one of the trio may have to bat at three.
Meanwhile, Khaleel Ahmed is poised for a potential comeback after being named in the squad. The left-arm pacer was part of the travelling reserves for the T20 World Cup squad but hasn’t played an international match since 2019. Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar are the other pace options, while Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi are the specialist spinners in the squad.
The tour begins on July 6 at the Harare Sports Club, which will host all five matches over the next eight days.
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