ZIM vs IND, 1st ODI Preview – India up against gutsy Zimbabwe

Team India will take on Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series slated to start on August 18 (Thursday). All three matches of the series will be played at the Harare Sports Club and the Men in Blue will back themselves to win the series comfortably.

The visiting team will be led by KL Rahul who has not been in action since the 2022 Indian Premier League (IPL) with senior batter Shikhar Dhawan acting as his deputy. Meanwhile, star all-rounder, Deepak Chahar is also set to make his return at the international arena after a long haul.

Talking about Zimbabwe, the home team will also be high on confidence as they have previously beaten Bangladesh in an ODI series. Batter Sikandar Raza is in red hot format and he will want to continue his batting antics against India as well.

The wicket at Harare Sports Club has provided high-scoring encounters and the same can be expected on Thursday as well. The skipper winning the toss might prefer to bowl first.

Here’s the probable playing XI for ZIM vs IND:

Zimbabwe:

As mentioned above, Raza has been in excellent batting touch as he stroked back-to-back centuries against Bangladesh and will want to continue his good form with the bat against the Indian team as well.

India:

Skipper KL Rahul is likely to open the innings along with Shikhar Dhawan and the two senior batters will want to contribute heavily for their team. Rahul has also been named in the Indian squad for the 2022 T20 Asia Cup and he will want to retain some form ahead of the important tournament.