adminMehluli Sibanda in Harare
DESPITE having already lost the three-match Killer Cup One Day International series against India with two defeats, Zimbabwe interim coach Makhaya Ntini still believes his boys will eventually come right.
Zimbabwe surrendered the series to India without much of a fight following an eight wicket loss on Monday in the second ODI. They lost the opening game by nine wickets on Saturday.
Ntini had on the eve of the ODI series remarked that if countries sent weaker teams to Zimbabwe they would put them under the carpet, so they return home and tell their countrymen that the Chevrons were no longer a weak side.
This was viewed as a veiled warning to India for bringing a side with five players that had never played international cricket.
However, opening batsman Lokesh Rahul has already made history by becoming the first Indian batsman to score a century on debut with his unbeaten 100 in the first ODI.
Ntini has seen his middle order struggle with the bat. On Monday, Zimbabwe crumbled from 106 for four to be dismissed for 126. The situation was not helped by left hander Sean Williams’ injury sustained during the warm-up session resulting in him being unable to take to the crease.
Ntini declared that he was sticking to his remark and instead blamed the poor showing on the team’s inactivity. Zimbabwe last played a 50-over series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates in January.
“Nothing has changed, this is a process. You must look at when was the last time Zimbabwe played; that’s the question you should be asking,” said Ntini.
“We haven’t been in that position whereby we can conquer what we need to conquer. We haven’t batted well. You’ve seen the bowlers are very good; they’re in good form, bowling the right areas, but there’s no score to defend. That statement still stands and every one of them still believes they can still do it. There is no change to that, I can stick my foot out and say we will do it,’’ he said.
The jovial Ntini described how he felt when the team crumbled from a good position of 106 for four halfway through the innings.
He attributed that to his batsmen’s failure to respect good deliveries, saying instead of going for singles, they tried playing big shots resulting in their demise.
Zimbabwe head into the last ODI at Harare Sports Club today with a lot to fight for, while India could try other players they didn’t use in the two ODIs.
Faiz Fazal and Mandeep Singh could earn their debuts with the series already in the bag.
Zimbabwe’s batting has been extremely poor and they have to rectify it to avoid a whitewash like in India’s previous visit last year.
Zimbabwe’s situation has been worsened by the injury to the left-handed pair of Craig Ervine and Williams that has left a big gap in their batting line-up.
From those yet to play, only Timycen Maruma, who last appeared in a 50-over international game in December 2014 against Bangladesh, is the only one with a bit of batting capabilities and is likely to be thrown into the fray.
The other option for convenor of selectors Tatenda Taibu and his panel is to call up Malcolm Waller, who was chosen for the Twenty20 International series.
India’s batting line-up has not been challenged by the bowlers, with only three batsmen from the visitors’ camp being dismissed in the two ODIs.
Unless the tourists bat first, fans might not see star batsman and skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the crease in the ODI series.
Squads
Zimbabwe: Graeme Cremer (captain), Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Craig Ervine, Neville Madziva, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Taurai Muzarabani, Richmond Mutumbami (wicketkeeper), Peter Moor, Tawanda Mupariwa, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Sean Williams
India: Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Lokesh Rahul, Faiz Fazal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu, Rishi Dhawan, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadhav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jaydev Unadkat, Yuzvendra Chahal.
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo