India's strongest playing XI for the Zimbabwe T20I series

What will India's squad for the 2026 T20 World Cup look like? We'll get our first indications of the answers to those long-term questions when the Men in Blue travel to Zimbabwe for a five-match T20I series next month.

The assignment will begin in Harare on Saturday, July 6. The BCCI has named a talented 15-man squad for the series, with as many as four uncapped players in the mix. Shubman Gill will take up his first task as captain of the national team, having been named at the helm.

India's squad for the Zimbabwe T20Is: Ꮪhubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande.

What will their best side look like? Here is India's strongest playing XI for the Zimbabwe T20I series.

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Openers: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal

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Shubman Gill, as the captain, will walk into the XI as one of the openers. Despite a middling Indian Premier League season, the talented right-hander will back himself to come up with a prolific series against Zimbabwe.

Yashasvi Jaiswal is the easy choice to partner him, despite the presence of two other opening options in Ruturaj Gaikwad and Abhishek Sharma. Another player who wasn't at his best in IPL 2024, Jaiswal is an immensely talented opener who deserves a long rope across formats.

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Middle order: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (wk), Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh

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Ruturaj Gaikwad batted at No. 3 at times during IPL 2024 and seemed to be in stellar touch throughout the season. While his intent issues still aren't fully resolved, he will want a good run of opportunities on the international stage.

Sanju Samson, who is part of the T20 World Cup squad, should be ahead of Dhruv Jurel in the wicket-keeping pecking order. He could slot in at No. 4, given his prowess against both pace and spin.

Abhishek Sharma opened the batting for the most part in IPL 2024, but his game could lend itself to a middle-order role. Suspect at times against swing but excellent against spin, the left-hander will be keen to make an impression.

Riyan Parag's ideal role is at No. 4, but India just don't have room to accommodate him there. And without any specialists in the lower-middle order apart from Rinku Singh, he could be deployed there. Rinku, who missed out on the T20 World Cup squad, will be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Nitish Kumar Reddy and Dhruv Jurel could thus miss out due to the lack of open slots in the top and middle order. Washington Sundar doesn't offer enough in either department at the moment and should ideally be on the bench.

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Lower order: Ravi Bishnoi, Tushar Deshpande, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed

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Ravi Bishnoi, as the only specialist spinner in the squad, must be part of the playing XI. He could be partnered by three fast bowlers, and Mukesh Kumar should ideally not be among those three given his limited skillset and low ceiling.

Tushar Deshpande being handed an international debut might not be the worst outcome, with Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan being the other frontline quicks.