PIX: Team India depart for Zimbabwe tour!

The new-look Indian team to be captained by Shubman Gill departed for their upcoming tour for Zimbabwe on Tuesday.

India will play a five-match T20 International series in Zimbabwe, which starts on July 6.

With the series starting a week after the T20 World Cup, only three players from the World Cup team -- Shivam Dube, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson -- were picked in the 15-member team. The top performers in the IPL were all rewarded with a place in the Indian team for the Zimbabwe tour with the selectors wanting to try out a few youngsters.

Youngsters Abhishek Sharma, and Riyan Parag earned their maiden-up call to the Indian team after their impressive performances in IPL 2024 earlier this year. Parag becomes the first player from Assam to be picked in the Indian team.

National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief V V S Laxman will be head coach in Zimbabwe with Rahul Dravid's tenure ending after the World Cup and a decision yet to be made on the new coach.

"Jet Set Zimbabwe #TeamIndia ' #ZIMvIND," tweeted BCCI.

Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed who were the reserves for the T20 World Cup, will fly down from Barboads for the T20I series to be played from July 6 to 14.

Washington Sundar makes his comeback to the Indian team, having last played in the home series against Afghanistan in January. He along with leggie Ravi Bishnoi are the two specialist spinners.

The squad has four specialist fast bowlers in Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar and Tushar Deshpande.

Sunrisers all-rounder Abhishek set the IPL on fire with his blazing knocks in the Powerplay, smashing 484 runs at a strike rate of 204 with three fifties, including 42 sixes in 16 games.

Parag finally came good for Rajasthan Royals. He formed a vital cog in the Royals' middle order, with 573 runs in 16 matches at an average of 52, with four half-centuries.

Zimbabwe, who failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup, have also named a young squad to face India, who will miss a majority of their key players as well. The Belgian-born Antum Naqvi has been named in the squad, but his inclusion is subject to the confirmation of his citizenship status.

In the domestic circuit, he boasts an impressive strike rate of 146.80 in the T20 format. In first-class cricket, he has an impressive average of 72.00, and in List-A cricket, he boasts an exceptional average of 73.42, which underlines his massive potential before he steps at the international level.

Under new head coach Justin Sammons, Zimbabwe have picked a young squad with an average age of 27, and that has a total of 558 T20I appearances under their belt.

Sikandar Raza, at 38, will continue to lead the side. With 86 matches to his name, he is Zimbabwe's most experienced player, followed by 29-year-old Luke Jongwe, who has made 63 appearances.

Squads:

India: Shubman Gill (captain), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (w/k), Dhruv Jurel (w/k), Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande.

Zimbabwe: Sikandar Raza (captain), 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.

Schedule: India's tour of Zimbabwe
1st T20: July 6, Harare, 4.30pm IST
2nd T20: July 7, Harare, 4.30pm IST
3rd T20: July 10, Harare, 4.30pm IST
4th T20: July 13, Harare, 4.30pm IST
5th T20: July 14, Harare, 4.30pm IST