Ntini replaces Whatmore as Zimbabwe coach ahead of India series

Graeme Cremer replaces Hamilton Masakadza as captain, Lance Klusener appointed batting coach 

A day after sacking their coach Dav Whatmore, Zimbabwe have now axed their captain Hamilton Masakadza just days before the arrival of India for a six-match limited-overs tour.

Former South African pacer Makhaya Ntini will replace Whatmore on an interim basis. Ntini will also continue to serve as the team's bowling coach.

Masakadza's deputy and senior leg-spinner Graeme Cremer will captain the African side. 

India plays three ODIs and T20s respectively with the first ODI starting from June 11 at Harare.

Zimbabwe Cricket cited the team's poor performance at this year's World Twenty20 tournament where they failed to make it out of the group stage.

Former Australia Test batsman Whatmore, who coached the country of his birth Sri Lanka to the World Cup title in 1996, was handed a four-year contract in April last year.

"Head coach Davenell Whatmore has had his contract terminated with immediate effect," a statement from Zimbabwe Cricket read.

"Bowling coach Makhaya Ntini has taken over in an acting capacity until the appointment of a substantive head coach.

"The board has also relieved Zimbabwe top-order batsman Hamilton Masakadza of the captaincy for all three formats of the game. His deputy, Graeme Cremer, will act in the interim."

Zimbabwe have also signed former South Africa allrounder Lance Klusener as a batting coach for two years, and appointed former captain Tatenda Taibu  as the new convener of the national selection panel.

India squad for Zimbabwe: 

MS Dhoni (c), KL Rahul, Faiz Fazal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu, Rishi Dhawan, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jaydev Unadkat, Yuzvendra Chahal

IMAGE: Former South African pacer Makhaya Ntini