The Indian selectors have announced the Indian teams that will tour Zimbabwe and West Indies after a gruelling two months of IPL. The Indian team will play three ODIs and three T20s during the tour of Zimbabwe, which will kick off on June 11. From there, they will head to the Caribbean for a four-Test series to be played in the months of July and August. The teams for the two tours include the combination of youth and experience, but incredibly will be without a coach, as Ravi Shastri's temporary role has come to an end. A closer look at the teams announced.
Squad for Zimbabwe tour: There were possibilities that MS Dhoni could be rested for the tour, but the fact that he no longer plays Test cricket perhaps made the job easier for the selectors to pick him. Apart from Dhoni though, the team is full of new faces, with the likes of Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli all being rested. Suresh Raina failed to figure in the squad again, which perhaps means that Indian selectors are not confident of picking him again in the 50-over version.
In fact, there is a heavy IPL overdose in the squad. Lokesh Rahul, who has opened for India in Tests finds a place due to his IPL exploits for RCB. Manish Pandey (KKR), Karun Nair (DD), and Ambati Rayudu (MI) also find a spot. The bowling unit as well, apart from Jasprit Bumrah is unrecognisable. RCB leggie Yuzvendra Chahal makes the cut along with Dhawal Kulkarni, Barinder Sran, Jaidev Undakat.
The full squad for Zimbabwe: M S Dhoni (captain), K L Rahul, Faiz Faisal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu, Rishi Dhawan, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jaidev Unadkat and Yuzvendra Chahal
Test squad for West Indies: Virat Kohli will be back to lead the side for the Windies Tests. In fact, the squad for the Caribbean is a rather familiar one as far as Indians are concerned. Ajinkya Rahane has been named as deputy, a reward for his excellent performances in the format. Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan and Rahul are the three opening choices. Cheteshwar Pujara, Rohit Sharma and Rahane complete the middle order while Wriddhiman Saha will continue as wicket-keeper.
In the bowling, Mumbai medium pacer Shardul Thakur finds a place. The other bowlers pretty much pick themselves. Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav. Stuart Binny's inclusion is a surprise again.
The complete squad for West Indies: Virat Kohli (captain) and includes Murali Vijay, Shikhar Dhawan, K L Rahul, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane (vice captain), Rohit Sharma, Wriddhiman Saha, Ravichandran Ashwin, Amit Mishra, Ravindra Jadeja, Ishant Sharma, Mohammad Shami, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar, Umesh Yadav, Shardul Thakur and Stuart Binny
--By A Cricket Analyst