India will hope to carry their good form in the T20s

The aim will be a 2-0 win over Zimbabwe

After the 3 ODIs, the thrill of the shortest format comes our way. India clinched the ODI series 3-0 and are looking good to carry on that momentum. Zimbabwe will surely aim for a revival. Apart from the 1st ODI, India outplayed Zimbabwe in every department. A good score on the board was well supported by coordinated bowling and fielding efforts.

Ajinkya Rahane's leadership has been impressive. He has judged the conditions well and has acted accordingly. The close 4-run victory in the first ODI didn't create any duality in his actions. He stuck with the same team and the move paid off. It’s good to see Bhuvi back to his usual pace. We all know how dangerous he can be with those sharp swinging deliveries. Dhawal Kulkarni, Harbhajan Singh and Stuart Binny have also played their parts well. The team seems to carry loads of confidence, which is good.

250+ scores was posted by India in all 3 ODIs. It is a competitive score on a slightly grassy strip that posed challenges for batting as runs were not easy to come. They will have to carry this confidence to the shorter format as well. Rayudu's century set the tone for the series whereas Jadhav's efforts asserted authority. Rahane and Vijay are in good touch too. The Indian team are the favourites entering the 2-match competition, but a win won't come easily against this young, strong Zimbabwe team.

Even the next two T20s will be played at Harare so the pitch is not expected to change much. Both teams are well familiarised with the conditions and will know precisely how the wicket will behave. The countries have the same team for both formats. Sanju Samson, who is in as a replacement for Rayudu, might get a chance to be in the playing 11. Any other change in the lineup is not expected for both teams.

Elton Chigumbura needs more support from his batsman. The bowlers need a bit more disciplined approach. But it’s the batting that has let them down. Restricting the onslaught in the last 10 overs and not losing wickets upfront will be their main task. Whether be it their bowling or batting, it’s their inability to provide the finishing touch that hurts them the most. The middle order needs to stand up and take the responsibility. Partnerships are key in any run chase and they fail to provide that. Zimbabwe will surely work on these key areas to come up with a more improved performance.

We expect the upcoming two T20s to be a nail biter. Whoever the teams are, a competitive show of bat and ball is what the eye wants. Both teams with their formulated plans will come on the field to achieve the desired result.

Predicted line ups:-

India- Ajinkya Rahane(c), Sanju Samson, Manish Pandey, Robin Uthappa(wk), Harbhajan Singh, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Stuart Binny, Mohit Sharma, Axar Patel, Dhawal Kulkarni and Kedar Jadhav.

Zimbabwe- Elton Chigumbura(c), Chamu Chibhabha, Graeme Cremer, Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Vusi Sibanda, Siri Tiripano, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams, Brian Vitori, Neville Madziva