IND vs ZIM 2022: 3 Indian players who may not play a single match in the series
A second-string Team India, under the stewardship of KL Rahul, will be in action in a three-match ODI series against Zimbabwe, starting on August 18 in Harare. The series presents a good opportunity for the team management to test their bench strength and hand out chances to many deserving players.
Here's India's squad for the series:
KL Rahul (captain), Shikhar Dhawan, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rahul Tripathi, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson, Shahbaz Ahmed, Deepak Hooda, Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Deepak Chahar, and Mohammed Siraj.
With sixteen players in the side and only three matches to play, there is a chance that some players could end up not playing in a single match. Let's look at three such players.
#3 Rahul Tripathi
After another impressive season in the IPL, Rahul Tripathi was touted to make his debut for the national side. He was expected to feature against Ireland earlier this year, but his much-awaited debut has eluded him.
His inclusion in India's ODI squad against Zimbabwe gives him another chance to finally make his international debut. However, there's also a chance of him being snubbed once again.
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The Maharasthra batter's ability to bat in different positions gives him a fighting chance to make India's playing XI at least once. However, with Sanju Samson and Deepak Hooda preferred for the middle-order slots, Tripathi can only feature if they are dropped.
The top of the order is also stacked with plenty of options, with Shubman Gill pushing to open the batting along with Shikhar Dhawan. If that happens, skipper KL Rahul will drop down the order, further reducing Tripathi's chances of featuring.
Every Indian supporter will feel that Rahul Tripathi deserves to make his debut for India and should hope for the same. Despite standing a better chance than some other players to feature, Tripathi is still at risk of being benched in all three matches.
#2 Ruturaj Gaikwad
Another top Maharashtra batter who could find it tough to get game-time in this series is Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Despite having a stellar List A record and some insane numbers in the recent edition of the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Gaikwad is yet to make his ODI debut. The right-handed batter is arguably not as versatile as Tripathi and is most suited to open the batting, which could make things difficult for him.
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Shubman Gill's impressive outing against the West Indies makes him the frontrunner to open alongside Shikhar Dhawan, assuming KL Rahul doesn't do so himself. With Ishan Kishan also in the running for a spot in the top three, the spot that Gaikwad is gunning for is pretty crowded.
He could still deservedly make his ODI debut if Gill bats at No.3 and skipper Rahul bats down the order, but as of now, he is among the players who could end up on the bench for all three matches.
#1 Shahbaz Ahmed
Another IPL prodigy, Shahbaz Ahmed's hard work and perseverance in the last two seasons for RCB has earned him his maiden call-up to the Indian side. He replaced an injured Washington Sundar in the squad, joining Axar Patel and Deepak Hooda as the side's all-rounders.
However, Axar's presence could hinder Shahbaz from making his debut for the Men in Blue. The Gujarat all-rounder has been in good form of late and should be among the first names on India's teamsheets.
Shahbaz, like Axar, is a left-handed batter and a left-arm spinner, making it unlikely for him to play alongside the latter in the team. Kuldeep Yadav and Axar are expected to be India's first-choice spinners.
Hence, the Bengal all-rounder's chances of featuring in the series depend mostly on whether Axar gets rested for one of the games. While he is still in with a chance, he will likely remain on the bench for all three matches.