A massive injury woe is all set to trouble India in the upcoming T20I series against Zimbabwe. As per a report by Sporstar, India's mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy in all likelihood will miss the three-match T20I outing in Zimbabwe, which is scheduled to kick off from July 23. Meanwhile, leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi is all set to replace the injured Chakaravarthy in India's squad. However, there is no official announcement from BCCI as yet.
Ravi Bishnoi to replace Varun Chakravarthy in Zimbabwe tour
Chakaravarthy had managed to play through a toe injury during the recent Indian Premier League and was initially given the green light by the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) ahead of the England tour. However, his physical troubles worsened when a hamstring injury struck just before the fourth T20I against England, forcing him out of commission for the subsequent tour of Zimbabwe.
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Reportedly, the national selection committee decided to hand Bishnoi a lifeline after initially omitting him from the touring party. The decision was finalized following detailed discussions with incoming head coach Gautam Gambhir and CoE chief VVS Laxman, the latter of whom is slated to guide the young Indian squad in Zimbabwe.
This unexpected recall serves as a massive opportunity for Bishnoi, especially after a tough outing in the third T20I against England where he was heavily targeted by Jacob Bethell. With a jam-packed white-ball schedule on the horizon, the upcoming series in Zimbabwe offers the young leg-spinner the perfect platform to rebuild his confidence and re-establish his credentials on the international stage.
Key players missing in India's squad
In a notable selection shake-up, several prominent names featured in India's current T20I battle against England have been omitted from the main squad heading to Zimbabwe. High-profile players including Sanju Samson, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, and Harshit Rana were all left out of the squad for the upcoming series.
For Samson, the omission follows a difficult run of form. Despite playing a pivotal role in India’s victorious T20 World Cup campaign back in March, a recent string of low scores cost him his place in the starting eleven, leading to him being benched for teenage prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi during the second T20I in England.
The squad also features some exciting re-inclusions in the batting and bowling departments. Explosive left-hander Rinku Singh makes his return to the T20I squad after last appearing in national colors during the memorable World Cup final victory over South Africa, while tearaway speedster Mayank Yadav marks his own return to the international arena after last playing for India in late 2024.
India’s squad for T20I series against Zimbabwe
Shreyas Iyer (Captain), Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, Abhishek Sharma, Tilak Varma (vc), Ishan Kishan (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Suryansh Shedge, Rinku Singh, Harsh Dubey, Varun Chakaravarathy, Prince Yadav, Yash Thakur, Ashok Sharma, Mayank Yadav, and Prabhsimran Singh (wicketkeeper)