5 players India can consider including in the squad for the tour of Zimbabwe
India’s tour of Zimbabwe comes at a time when Indian cricket faces more questions than answers after suffering a humiliating loss at the hands of Bangladesh. The Indian captain has offered to step down if needed, the head coach is yet to be appointed and a few non-performers have come under scrutiny. All of a sudden, a side which did well in the World Cup is looking vulnerable and exposed. The Zimbabwe tour is most likely to take place after a week of doubts arising from a row between BCCI and the broadcaster. As the Indian selectors sit down to announce the squad for the 3 ODIs and 1 T20, they might rest some tired legs, fatigued after a long season of international cricket and IPL.The axe might fall on some, allowing the wise men of Indian cricket to gauge the bench strength. Let us have a look at the 5 players, out of a vast pool, who could make the cut in this squad.The players’ recent performances in the four shorter formats ( Vijay Hazare trophy, Deodhar trophy, IPL and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy) is what I have considered for this list. The performances in Ranji Trophy, Irani Trophy and Duleep Trophy shouldn’t have a bearing on this selection as some of the players doing good there might be suited only for the longer format.
#5 Shreyas Iyer
| Series | Runs | Average |
|---|---|---|
| Vijay Hazare Trophy | 273 | 54.60 |
| IPL | 439 | 33.96 |
At 2.6 crores, Shreyas Iyer was bought for the highest value for any uncapped player in IPL 2015. Playing for Delhi Daredevils, Iyer made every penny of that auction amount worth it. If the impressive Vijay Hazare Trophy ton against Gujarat brought Iyer into attention, his consistent run in IPL opened gates of stardom. Iyer’s neat hitting and attractive strokeplay was one of the highlights of IPL 2015. Of all his lightning knocks, the 56-ball 83 against Mumbai Indians remains the crowning moment.
If Dhawan is rested for the tour, Iyer could well be handed a call-up despite only one season in domestic cricket. Pravin Amre has played a key role in grooming the young Mumbai batsman, which serves as his certificate of batsmanship. Given a chance, Iyer would leave no stone unturned to display the fireworks at the top of the order.