After clinching the T20 World Cup 2024 title, Team India is all set to face Zimbabwe for a five-match t20I series, starting from July 6. A young team has been sent to face Sikandar Raza and co as the Indian side is looking groom new players for the shortest format, after the retirement of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja. The team will be led by the opening batter Shubman Gill with Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Tushar Deshpande earning the maiden India call-ups.
The new-look Indian team arrived in Harare on Wednesday and the likes of Riyan, Deshpande, and others completely failed to hide their excitement of representing the nation.
Parag, who bossed the IPL with his batting and emerged as the third-highest run-getter with 573 runs in 16 matches, including four half-centuries, hilariously said that he feels so excited about playing for India that he misplaced his passport and two phones.
“So excited that I’ve forgotten my passport. I’ve forgotten my phone. I’ve not forgotten, I’ve misplaced them. But I have it now,” Parag, who has earned his maiden India call-up, said in a video posted by BCCI.
Travel Day
The Journey Begins…
Excitement, happiness & more, ft. #TeamIndia newcomers#ZIMvIND | @ParagRiyan | @IamAbhiSharma4 pic.twitter.com/YdhK5jldtW
— BCCI (@BCCI) July 3, 2024
“Ever since I was a kid, it was a dream to travel like this. Though we play matches, but traveling, wearing Indian clothes, is a dream. It is a new team, almost, a lot of new and old faces. Ever since I was a kid, I dreamt of it. There will be a special connection with Zimbabwe,” he added.
Apart from him, batter Abhishek Sharma also revealed that after his selection in the Indian team, he received a call from his Punjab teammate Shubman Gill.
“I received a call from Gill after the selection, I felt very good. Before my interview, when I reached home, my parents were giving interviews. I felt proud. Ever since I started from day one, I had the dream of playing for India. I knew if I kept working hard I would get an opportunity but did not know I would go outside India, to Zimbabwe. This feels like a reunion,” said Abhishek.
BCCI on Tuesday announced the addition of opener Sai Sudarshan, wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma and pacer Harshit Rana as replacements for Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first two T20Is against Zimbabwe, as the T20 World Cup winning players’ departure was delayed from Barbados due to Hurrican Beryl, making them unavailable for the initial games.
India’s squad for 1st & 2nd T20I: Shubman Gill (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Harshit Rana.
(With ANI Inputs)
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