Audition time for Rahul and Chahar against Raza-powered Zimbabwe

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The last time India toured Zimbabwe, they went with a captain who had won a T20 World Cup, a 50-over World Cup and a Champions Trophy title. That wasn't a full-strength Indian side. This isn't one either. But this Indian team is led by one of their seven captains from recent times.

KL Rahul is back in action after a long layoff, which included a surgery for sports hernia, and a positive Covid-19 test. What could make Rahul comfortable is that Zimbabwe is where he struck a century on ODI debut, and finished as the leading scorer when India blanked Zimbabwe 3-0 in 2016.

India are without some of their top players , and it might be Zimbabwe's best chance in a while to topple a team ten places above them in the ICC rankings. Though Zimbabwe themselves are also depleted - because of injuries - they are coming in on the back of fantastic series wins in both white-ball formats against Bangladesh. They would be itching to build on that form to grab some World Cup Super League points, where they are currently placed 12th, to gain in confidence before they fly to Australia for ODIs and the T20 World Cup.

Against Bangladesh, they chased down totals of 304 and 291 in successive games, Sikandar Raza scored centuries in both games, Innocent Kaia in the first, and captain Regis Chakabva in the second. But Zimbabwe's top order - which slipped to scores of 62 for 3, 27 for 3 and 18 for 3 in those three games - will have to find better answers against India's bowling. Against the Indian bowlers, the "fearless brand of cricket" will be tested more than it was when they played Bangladesh.

Form guide

Zimbabwe LWWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)

India WWWWL

In the spotlight

Along with keeping an eye on Rahul, the team management will follow the progress of Deepak Chahar closely. Once India's prime new-ball bowler in T20Is, Chahar returns to the field after a long [since February] layoff because of injury. He has dropped back in the pecking order for the T20 World Cup, at least going by the selections for the Asia Cup, in which he is among the reserves. A different format, but these games will be an audition for Chahar ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Raza took the Player-of-the-Series award for the ODIs against Bangladesh, but the "unsung hero", according to him, was Luke Jongwe. He didn't take too many wickets but came on to bowl in tough situations once the morning moisture had dried up in batting-friendly conditions, and dry up the runs for Bangladesh in the middle and death overs. How he comes up against India's middle-order batters and finishers could be key for Zimbabwe.

Team news

Rahul batted in the middle order the last time he played ODIs but he is among India's frontrunners for an opening slot at the T20 World Cup. Will the management open with him to get him some practice at the top or will they continue to bat him in the middle? Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill opened for India in the ODIs in the Caribbean and they could continue there if Rahul is slotted lower down. With no Suryakumar Yadav and Shreyas Iyer in the squad, Rahul will come in, of course, and Ruturaj Gaikwad could make his ODI debut at some point in the series.

India: 1 Shikhar Dhawan, 2 Shubman Gill, 3 Ruturaj Gaikwad, 4 KL Rahul (capt), 5 Sanju Samson/Ishan Kishan (wk), 6 Deepak Hooda, 7 Axar Patel, 8 Shardul Thakur/Deepak Chahar, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohammed Siraj, 11 Prasidh Krishna/Avesh Khan

Zimbabwe will continue to be without some of their key players, who are injured, like Craig Ervine (hamstring), Wellington Masakadza (shoulder), Blessing Muzarabani (thigh muscle tear) and Tendai Chatara (collarbone fracture). But, in a boost for them, Sean Williams is back after missing the preceding Bangladesh series to "attend to some personal matters".* The question for Zimbabwe is whether to break up the out of form opening combination of Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Tadiwanashe Marumani or give them another chance.

Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Takudzwanashe Kaitano, 2 Tadiwanashe Marumani, 3 Innocent Kaia, 4 Wessly Madhevere/Sean Williams, 5 Sikandar Raza, 6 Regis Chakabva (capt, wk), 7 Ryan Burl/Tony Munyonga, 8 Luke Jongwe, 9 Brad Evans, 10 Victor Nyauchi, 11 Tanaka Chivanga

Pitch and conditions

The Harare Sports Club had batting-friendly pitches in all three games against Bangladesh, but with something for the quick bowlers in the morning because of the early starts. Thursday is expected to be sunny and pleasant with a high of 27 degrees Celsius.

Stats and trivia

• He has played only three ODIs there, but Rahul has the best average for an India batter in Zimbabwe, of 196. The next best is Ambati Rayudu's 123 from seven innings.

• From the current India squad, Rahul made his ODI debut in Zimbabwe. Apart from him, Sanju Samson and Axar Patel also made their T20I debuts in Zimbabwe.

• Of the 16 ODIs Zimbabwe and India have played at the Harare Sports Club from 1992 to 2016, the hosts have won only two.

Quotes

"It is a beautiful format. It is a balanced format where you should know when to attack and when to defence. It is not a rushed format, it is about understanding when to attack and when to defence, for both batters and bowlers. I really enjoy playing this format."

India vice-captain Shikhar Dhawan isn't hiding his love for ODIs

*2.30pm GMT, August 17: The preview was updated after news came in of Sean Williams being available to play.