KL Rahul will lead India in the three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe after being declared fit by the BCCI medical team. On July 30, the BCCI released a 15-man squad for the Zimbabwe series, led by senior Indian batsman Shikhar Dhawan.
After being declared fit by the BCCI’s medical team to play against Zimbabwe, the All India Senior Selection Committee decided to pick Rahul as India’s captain in the Zimbabwe series and made Dhawan his deputy.
Rahul is the all-format India vice-captain but since his recovery was taking time, he was not picked for the Zimbabwe series. His availability has led to Dhawan being appointed as India’s vice-captain for the series.
Rahul has been ruled out first due to hernia surgery and then due to a Covid positive result just ahead of the West Indies series.
Rahul’s entry takes the team’s strength to 16, but it could also mean bad news for opener Ruturaj Gaikwad, who will be seen in the presence of the experienced opening pair of Dhawan and Rahul with Shubman Gill as a backup opener. Finding a place will be difficult.
Several senior players including skipper Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant, Shreyas Iyer, Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Shami will miss out on action against Zimbabwe after being rested from the series.
However, Rahul is not the only player to make a comeback from injury in the Zimbabwe series. Fast bowler Deepak Chahar and spinner Washington Sundar will also make a comeback in the Zimbabwe series after losing a lot of action due to injury.
India will tour Zimbabwe for a three-match ODI series from August 18 to 22.
Indian squad for 3rd ODI: KL Rahul (capt), Shikhar Dhawan (vice-captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shubman Gill, Deepak Hooda, Rahul Tripathi, Ishan Kishan (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Avesh Khan, Famous Krishna, Mohammad Siraj, Deepak Chahar
With inputs from PTI
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