IND vs ZIM 2022: 3 changes India can make in the second ODI

Team India started off their tour of Zimbabwe with a stunning 10-wicket win at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Thursday, August 18.

Luck seemed to be in the visitors' favor with KL Rahul winning the toss and asking the hosts to bat first. Calling what followed as a carnage would be an understatement. The Zimbabwe batters failed to carry the momentum from their last series against Bangladesh and could only manage to put 189 runs on the board in 40.3 overs.

With an arguably easy chase in the offing, the Men in Blue openers Shikhar Dhawan (81) and Shubman Gill (82) chased down the target in 30.5 overs to kickstart the three-match ODI series on a high.

Considering the absence of senior pros including the likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Jasprit Bumrah from the tour, it is a great opportunity for some of the younger players to make a strong case for themselves in India's ODI setup.

While the Men in Blue are likely to field the same playing XI in the second ODI on Saturday, August 20, here are three changes they could consider making:

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#1 Rahul Tripathi in place of Shubman Gill

Rahul Tripathi earned his maiden ODI callup on the back of his stellar showing in the last two seasons of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The Maharasthra batter amassed 413 runs last season, including three fifties, at a strike rate of 158.24.

He scored 397 runs in IPL 2021 while playing for the Kolkata Knight Riders and was instrumental in the team's reaching the final of the cash-rich tournament.

Considering Shubman Gill's success at the top of the order for India in recent times, it's fair to say that he has cemented his place in India's limited-overs setup. With a packed calendar to follow after the Asia Cup, it makes sense to give the Punjab batter some rest to make sure he is fit.

Tripathi has proven his mettle as a top-order batter in the IPL and could thus be slotted in to replace Gill in the second ODI.

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#2 Shardul Thakur in place of Prasidh Krishna

Prasidh Krishna has emerged as one of India's most promising fast bowlers with a penchant for taking wickets. However, the Karnataka seamer also tends to leak runs every now and then, making his wicket-taking abilities look arguably bland at times.

Krishna picked up three wickets in the first ODI against Zimbabwe and was the joint highest wicket-taker along with Deepak Chahar and Axar Patel. But while Chahar and Axar were economical, Krishna gave away 50 runs in his eight overs. The right-arm seamer finished with an economy of 6.25, making him the most expensive among the Indian bowlers.

Shardul Thakur, meanwhile, is a proven performer and is known for providing breakthroughs when needed. But what makes Thakur a cut above the rest is his prowess with the willow. The Maharasthra bowler has scored 215 runs in 22 ODIs at an average of 30.71.

His inclusion in the second ODI on Saturday would be a wise call for Rahul as it would add depth to India's batting line-up.

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#3 Avesh Khan in place of Mohammed Siraj

With the Asia Cup round the corner, it's important for players to get some valuable game-time under their belt. Although Mohammed Siraj has produced some memorable performances in Team India colors in the past, the management could consider dropping him for the next match to make way for Avesh Khan.

The Madhya Pradesh pacer has been included in the Men in Blue's squad for the Asia Cup, which starts on August 27. With all eyes on the clash between India and Pakistan on August 28, Avesh would want to roll his arm and be in rhythm to be in reckoning for a place in the playing XI.