MS Dhoni india
MS Dhoni will lead a second-string side against Zimbabwe in their opening game Getty

Zimbabwe host India in the opening game of the three-match One Day International series beginning at the Harare Sports Club on 11 June (Saturday).

Where to watch live

Match starts at 8am BST/12.30pm IST. There is no live coverage of the game in the UK. Ten 1 HD and Ten 3 will broadcast the game live in India.

Overview

It is not often that Zimbabwe get to host an International cricket series – considering India are the touring team – and this would be an important one for the African side. Rocked by controversies, scandals and by most of their players opting for to settle for county cricket in England, they will see this series as a way to get some much needed interest from audiences all over the world.

The hosts have an interim captain and coach in Graeme Cramer and Makhaya Ntini, respectively, after Hamilton Masakazda and Dav Whatmore were sacked mere weeks before the series. The opening game will definitely be baptism of fire for the players despite the visitors bringing a second-string squad to the tour.

India have always viewed Zimbabwe as a place to give youngsters and uncapped players a chance to prove their mettle and it is no different this time with the team bringing five players who are yet to play at the International level. The fact that skipper MS Dhoni has played more limited-overs matches than the rest of the 15 combined, gives an indication that the selectors are looking to give their second string players a chance.

Ambati Rayudu, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey, KL Rahul and Yuzvendra Chahal were some of the players to impress in the recently concluded IPL 2016 and it is a great chance for them to seal their place in India's ODI squad for future tours to come.

Prediction

India to win

Team news

Zimbabwe

Squad: Graeme Cremer (C), Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Tendai Chisoro, Craig Ervine, Neville Madziva, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Peter Moor, Tawanda Mupariwa, Richmond Mutumbami (WK), Taurai Muzarabani, Vusi Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Sean Williams.

India

Squad: MS Dhoni (C & WK), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishi Dhawan, Faiz Fazal, Kedhar Jadhav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mandeep Singh, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Lokesh Rahul, Ambati Rayudu, Barinder Sran, Jaydev Unadkat, Jayant Yadav.

India cricket