INDIA will send a strong squad to Zimbabwe for its five-match One-Day International (ODI) series against the hosts to give the series the zest coach Andrew Waller’s men have been yearning for.

Staff Writer

There were fears India would dampen the series by sending a second-string side as it did in 2010, but the tourists have since forwarded a squad list that, barring any injuries, should tour Zimbabwe this month.

All the big names that toured England for the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy and are currently engaged in a triangular series in the West Indies with Sri Lanka, are in the squad expected to arrive in Zimbabwe on July 21.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni captains a 15-men squad that has been submitted to Zimbabwe Cricket.

Champions Trophy player of the tournament Shikhar Dhawan, who had a dream tournament by scoring 363 runs, will be travelling to Zimbabwe.

The spin duo of Ravindra Jadeja and Ashwin Ravichandran, one of India’s success stories, is also part of the squad.

Zimbabwe has been in camp for a month preparing for this tour, which comes ahead of Pakistan’s visit, and also includes a two Test series.

Zimbabwe and India play the first three ODIs in Harare on July 24, 26, and 28 before travelling to Bulawayo for the final two matches on July 31 and August 3.

India Squad for Zimbabwe:

Mahendra Singh Dhoni; Shikhar Dhawan; Dinesh Karthik; Murali Vijay; Virat Kohli; Amit Mishra; Suresh Raina; Rohit Sharma; Ashwin Ravichandran; Ravindrasinh Jadeja; Bhuvaneshwar Kumar; Ishant Sharma; Umeshkumar Yadav; Vinay Ranganatha and Irfankhan Pathan