Zimbabwe expect a few different faces

India have remained tight-lipped about their intentions but Zimbabwe expect to face a changed team when the two sides meet in the fourth one-day international in Bulawayo on Thursday.

The Indians have already taken an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series, having shown a strong desire to win by naming the same XI throughout the tour so far.

However with the series already decided, Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor anticipates a few new faces in the Indian line-up over the next two matches at Queens Sports Club.

“I’m sure they might experiment with a few players,” Taylor said.

“They’ve got some quality players who haven’t even played.

“Like ourselves, I’m sure there are a few guys to try out and see how they’re going to front up.”

Three of the four Indian players who are yet to see action in the series are uncapped in one-day cricket, with Ajinkya Rahane the odd man out having played 16 ODIs.

However top-order batsman Cheteshwar Pujara and right-arm seamer Mohit Sharma would appear to be at the front of the queue for a place in the side, and could replace Shikhar Dhawan and R Vinay Kumar on Thursday.

Vinay Kumar took no part in Wednesday’s net session and has disappointed on the tour so far, while Dhawan may be rested after cracking a century in the second match.

“I have no idea what the team management is looking at but I can definitely say we are looking forward to doing as well as we can because it’s a great opportunity for all of us,” wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Karthik said.

Having spent most of his career in the shadow of India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who skipped the tour of Zimbabwe, Karthik is enjoying the chance to prove his value to the side.

Asked about his misfortune to play in the same era as Dhoni, Karthik said: “It’s not something I’ve ever felt bad about because I feel it’s a great opportunity playing with him.

“I’ve always looked at myself that I can play as a batsman in this side and that’s what I’m looking to do – play as a batsmen in all three formats of the game.”

Meanwhile, Taylor confirmed that Zimbabwe are likely to stick to their tactic of fielding three specialist seamers and suggested that Timycen Maruma could replace one of Zimbabwe’s misfiring batsmen.