IND vs ZIM 1st T20: Abhishek Sharma to Make India Debut, Set to Open with Shubman Gill

With the senior Indian team celebrating their T20 World Cup victory, a second-string Indian side led by Shubman Gill is set to kick off a five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe in Harare. The series marks the beginning of a new era for Indian cricket as several young players get the opportunity to showcase their talent on the international stage.

Top-Order Composition

In the pre-match press conference, Shubman Gill revealed the top-order lineup for the first T20I:

• Openers: Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma
• Number 3: Ruturaj Gaikwad

“Abhishek will open with me, and Ruturaj will play at number three. Rohit bhai and Virat bhai had opened in the World Cup, and I also open (the innings) in the T20s. So, I think I would like to open in the T20s,” said Gill.

Transition to the Next Generation

With stalwarts like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, and Ravindra Jadeja stepping down following the T20 World Cup triumph, the responsibility now falls on the young guns to carry the legacy forward. The T20I series against Zimbabwe is seen as the beginning of a new two-year journey leading up to the next T20 World Cup, which will be hosted by India and Sri Lanka in 2026.

New Faces in the Squad

Apart from Abhishek Sharma, several other young players will be making their debut or getting more international exposure:

• Riyan Parag
• Dhruv Jurel
• Tushar Deshpande
• B. Sai Sudharsan
• Harshit Rana (available for the first two matches only)

These players will be under the guidance of National Cricket Academy (NCA) head VVS Laxman.

Gill on the Transition and Pressure

Shubman Gill spoke about the pressure and expectations that come with filling the shoes of legends like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma: “I think there is always pressure and expectations. But what I think Virat bhai and Rohit bhai have achieved, if I go to reach that thing, then it will be very difficult for me. Every player has his own goal, like where he wants to reach”.

Gill expressed excitement about the young players making their debut and the opportunity for them to gain valuable international experience: “Yes, there is definitely a lot of excitement, because there are a lot of young players who will be playing for the first time. It is always exciting when you see new players coming and making their debut and doing well”.

Objectives for the Zimbabwe Series

Gill outlined the primary objective for the series: “If you look at the team, it’s a quite different team from the one that played in the World Cup. There are a lot of young players in the team, including myself. So, in terms of that, we just want to give the players experience and what it is like to play at the international level”.

The series against Zimbabwe is not only a platform for young talent to emerge but also a crucial step in building a strong team for the future.