India relaxed, much to fix for Zimbabwe in second ODI

Every series is an important one for the Indian team. No matter the quality of opposition or the overall context of their clashes, there is always something to work on and fix. The team management led by Rahul Dravid have taken the bench strength trials to a whole different level in build-up to the T20 World Cup in Australia and the Zimbabwe tour is almost like a final step before the squad is solidified. Sometimes even he had to take a break from the jampacked schedule while his friend and NCA chief VVS Laxman has overseen the progress of the team.

For the ongoing tour, the stakes aren’t that high for India, but Zimbabwe have a lot to play for as the series accounts for valuable World Cup Super League points in order to qualify for the 2023 ODI World Cup. 

The first game was rather a breeze for the visitors. They dismantled the Zimbabwean lineup for a paltry 189 and then chased down the target in 30.5 overs without losing a wicket. For the next two games, they still have the luxury to make big changes to their playing XI and not worry about the result. However, they will look to get skipper KL Rahul some batting time after the opening pair of Shubman Gill and Shikhar Dhawan dispatched the total in the first match.

Rahul has had an unfortunate time away from the game in the past two months and will be itching to spend some time in the middle. There won’t be much anxiety over Rahul’s position had India fielded a full-strength team, but as a captain of the side, he has to practice restraint by coming down in the middle order. 

Deepak Chahar, after a seven-month absence, announced his return to the national team with a superb 3-27 in the first match and it will be important for the team to see their skipper hit form. There is still room to bring in Rahul Tripathi, Ruturaj Gaikwad and hand a debut to Shahbaz Ahmed but the Indian team management might hold on to that idea for the final ODI.

All departments under pressure for hosts

For Zimbabwe, they came into the series on back of a T20I and ODI series victories against Bangladesh, but the win came at a cost. They had to continue without lead pacer duo Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani while left-arm spinner Wellington Masakadza and regular captain Craig Ervine were ruled out due to injuries of their own. Regis Chakabva and Sikandar Raza, the in-form leaders for the series, had to step up once again but fared poorly in the first ODI against India. 

The Zimbabweans were caught off guard by the movement Indian bowlers generated off the surface and had nothing to show for themselves with the ball during India’s chase. If not for Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava’s 73-run partnership at the end, the hosts would’ve been in bigger trouble.

The hosts will have to start afresh in the second match and their middle order of Wesly Madhevere, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza and Chakabva have to step up. They have chased down 290-plus scores twice in the previous series and it all depended on the resilience of their middle and lower order.

The likes of Richard Ngarava and Victor Nyauchi had some swing with the new ball but couldn’t trouble Dhawan and Gill. They will need to bowl to the pair’s weaknesses outside the off stump if they are to find the first breakthrough.

Zimbabwe, in their series against Bangladesh and the T20 World Cup Qualifier, have shown admirable fight as a team with talented individuals which them helped gain lucrative contracts in the foreign T20 leagues. However, playing against India would need them to push their potential to another level to make the three-match series go down to the wire. India, despite having a settled lineup and plenty of reserves to call up, will be hoping for a much more competitive second ODI on Saturday at the Harare Sports Club.

Probable XIs

Zimbabwe: Innocent Kaia, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wesly Madhevere, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva (c & wk), Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Brad Evans, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi.

India: KL Rahul (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Sanju Samson (wk), Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Mohammad Siraj.