India head into a double-header weekend in Harare with an opportunity to wrap up the series in style, but beyond simply winning matches, there are a few broader objectives that should be on the team’s agenda.
The first, of course, is the most obvious one: win. At this stage of the tour, victories are expected and India should have enough quality to get the job done.
The second is to make the right call at the toss. If Shreyas Iyer’s good fortune at the toss continues, I hope he chooses to bat first. India have too often defaulted to chasing in T20 cricket, and while that strategy has brought success, it can also come across as overly cautious. Batting first would give India’s struggling batters another chance to spend time in the middle, build confidence and put Zimbabwe under scoreboard pressure.
The third objective should be to give Mayank Yadav both games. Injuries have repeatedly interrupted his progress, so every opportunity at international level is valuable. His first T20 showed exactly why there is so much excitement around him. He generated genuine pace, looked threatening and reminded everyone of the impact he can make. India need Mayank to become a long-term asset, not just someone who appears for a handful of matches against lower-ranked opposition.
Similarly, I hope India persist with Ashok Sharma. He was the only bowler who failed to pick up a wicket in the opening game, but one wicketless outing should not be enough to alter the selectors’ thinking. Every young fast bowler deserves a proper run before being judged, and Ashok looks like someone who has the potential to serve India over a much longer period.
Finally, I would like to see Abhishek Sharma entrusted with the ball. Against a side like Zimbabwe, India can comfortably play four specialist bowlers and use Shivam Dube as the fifth option. However, India’s white-ball teams have increasingly lacked batters who can contribute meaningful overs with the ball. That used to be a real strength of Indian cricket, with several top-order players capable of bowling useful spin. Abhishek has that skill set, and India should continue developing it rather than treating him solely as a batter.
Those are my five hopes from the Harare double-header.
