3 things to look forward to in the 3rd India vs Zimbabwe T20I ft. the return of the T20 World Cup winners
What a series it's been so far! The crowd at the Harare Sports Club has been treated to some sensational cricket over the two T20Is between India and Zimbabwe, and their energy has elevated the happenings of the rubber to the next level irrespective of the results.
As things stand, the series is delicately poised at 1-1. Zimbabwe sneaked past India by 11 runs in the opening game, and the visitors stamped their authority with a 100-run hammering of the hosts in the second T20I.
There's a lot to play for heading into the third game, which will be played on Wednesday, July 10. New players could be in the mix for both teams, while a host of interesting storylines are playing out in the African nation.
On that note, here are three things to look forward to in the third T20I between India and Zimbabwe.
#3 Samson, Dube and Jaiswal are back
India now have three T20 World Cup winners in their squad for the third T20I. Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube are likely to be available for selection on Wednesday.
Dube played the entirety of the Men in Blue's victorious run to the trophy and played a crucial hand in the final. Still, there are holes in his game that need to be filled before he can be labeled a reliable T20 batter.
Meanwhile, Samson and Jaiswal unfortunately warmed the bench throughout the campaign despite being two of the country's most exciting T20 batters. The duo's performances will be closely watched in Zimbabwe, with India having a few spots open following the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli.
#2 Can Brian Bennett and Wessly Madhevere come up with more substance?
Wessly Madhevere, who only recently returned from a ban, is Zimbabwe's leading run-scorer in the series so far. The youngster has notched up 64 runs in the two matches at a modest strike rate of 104.91.
Meanwhile, 21-year-old Brian Bennett is the hosts' second-highest run-scorer, with 48 runs to his name at a strike rate of 200. He has played some sensational shots on both sides of the wicket.
Madhevere and Bennett have immense potential, and while they have been bright sparks for Zimbabwe, they haven't quite managed enough substance. A move into the middle order could help the former, while the latter needs to find the right balance between attack and defense.
Nevertheless, the duo have shown enough to warrant fans being excited each time they step out onto the field. The potential return of Richard Ngarava will also add to the anticipation surrounding the possibility of another spirited Zimbabwe display.
#1 Will India's new captain withstand the pressure?
Only two games into his international captaincy career, Shubman Gill is under a bit of pressure. He was India's top-scorer in the first T20I, but a disappointing dismissal in the last game has raised a few eyebrows.
With plenty of exciting openers in the T20I mix for India, Gill needs to be at his best to nail down his place in the side. The Gujarat Titans skipper didn't have a great season in the 2024 Indian Premier League and hasn't been overly convincing with his batting displays in the shortest format.
Another failure or two could prompt some questions about whether Gill is the right man to be at the helm, even for a series that has a second-string squad. And that isn't a situation he'll want to be in so early in his career.