admin
For the first time, a sporting contest featuring a Zimbabwean national team, can be seen in the splendor of High Definition live on SuperSport, which just about provides the confirmation that a special team is in town and the game has changed.
The Asian powerhouse have become the dominant side in the world in limited-overs cricket — winning the ICC Cricket World Cup on home soil two years ago and, then, silencing those who questioned their pedigree, away from home, with a sensational triumph in the ICC Champions Trophy in England last month.
Waller could not have hoped for a tougher start, in his term as national team coach, than facing an Indian team that has steamrolled all opposition, in recent years, and are under the guidance of Zimbabwe coach Duncan Fletcher.
Another Zimbabwean coach, Trevor Penney, is their fielding coach.
Waller, who has promised to work so hard to ensure that Zimbabwe is ranked eighth in the world by 2015, said his team has put in so much, in terms of their preparations, they were ready to face the world champions.
“We have put in a strong nine weeks of solid preparation and we have no worries, we are positive going into the series and I am not worried about the way our batsmen performed against Australia A last week,” said Waller.
“It was not an easy wicket to bat on, we are not worried about our batting because that actually is one of our strengths, after Australia there are a number of things we have talked about and hope to put into practice.”
The former Zimbabwe batsman and his troops have put in nine weeks of preparations and while their loss against Australia A exposed their batting shortcomings, when facing quality bowling, the circumstances are different.
That was a three-day game and this is a 50-overs match and, unlike the Country Club pitch that proved a demon to many a batsmen, there could be runs at Harare Sports Club where the first three ODIs are going to be played.
“All along we’ve prepared and hoped we might surprise them in one of the games, we’ve got to be realistic, but as long as we’re competitive, we can do the best we can,” said Waller.
“Our guys are hugely excited about this. It’s a great experience for them, and we’ve been preparing knowing that the best side in the world are coming.
“I think the guys are up for it.
“Hopefully all the hard work we’ve put in the last nine weeks is going to pay off.”
The last time India were in Zimbabwe was in 2010 during a tri-angular series that also involved Sri Lanka and the hosts got the better of a second-string Indian team twice, first with a six-wicket win in Bulawayo before moving to Harare where the Asians lost again by seven wickets.
Virat Kholi, who has come back here leading the Indian team, was in that team and so were a number of players who have graduated into the mainstream Indian national side.
Kohli, who could be the natural successor for MS Donhi as the regular Indian skipper, will be taking on the ODI captaincy for a full series for the first time during this tour.
The 24-year-old middle order batsman, one of the most exciting players in the world, took charge in the West Indies, after Donhi was injured, but with the regular skipper rested, it’s his chance to make a big statement.
Dhoni is one of the senior players who have been rested and remained at home alongside the likes of Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Umesh Yadav.
But, within this touring Indian team, is the soul of the side that has taken the Asian nation to the top of the world.
“Zimbabwe beat us last time we came here so we expect a tough competition,” said Kohli.
“It is going to be a competitive series with all the boys in the team looking forward to the series. I am happy with the quality of young players we have in our side.
“They are keen on building their careers together and it is also good that we have a strong bowling line-up.
“Experience is not really an issue in ODIs but we just have to know how to play in certain conditions.
“All the boys are very eager, it’s so exciting to see the young players step up and I am looking forward to an exciting series, we have big players going out of the team but it’s all about how we are going to pick ourselves up because they have left us a big responsibility and it’s no easy stepping into their shoes.
“I am happy to say that fast bowlers like (Ranganath Vinay) Kumar and others are working hard because they want to prove a point and for me as a captain it is going to be difficult, it will be a test for me but I am looking forward to captaining a full series.”
Kohli believes his coach’s familiarity with the local conditions will be an added advantage to the Indians in this series.
Fletcher, who led them to the ICC Champions trophy, captained Zimbabwe at the 1983 World Cup where they famously beat Australia and then lost to India.
“The coach has a lot of experience, has a quite fair idea of conditions and how the ball behaves in the morning or later in the day,” said Kohli.
“And we are benefiting from his experience not only here but all over the world.
“It’s a good felling to have them him in the technical team.”
Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor said no assignment was bigger than proving themselves against the world champions.
“We expect a tough but exciting series,” said Taylor, whose runs will be as crucial as his leadership qualities.
“We have had nine solid weeks of constructive work, we have to put into practice what we have learnt over the last nine weeks and there’s no better way to do it than against a team like India.”
Teams
Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor, Vusi Sibanda, Razza Butt, Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams, Malcolm Waller, Timycen Maruma, Elton Chigumbura, Tendai Chatara, Kyle Jarvis, Brain Vitori, Prosper Utseya, Graeme Cremer, Natsai M’shangwe, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Michael Chinouya, Raymond Price.
India: Virat Kohli (capt.), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Parvez Rasool, Shami Ahmed, R Vinay Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat, Mohit Sharma.
Online Reporter