Team India squad to Zimbabwe has been reduced to a 14-member unit following the BCCI deciding not to name a replacement for the injured Karn Sharma. The leg-spinner has a fractured finger in his left hand.
With Karn Sharma out, captain Ajinkya Rahane's spin options will be limited to senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and left-arm spinner Axar Patel.
Uthappa ready to become wicket-keeper
The selectors have also not included a specialist keeper for the tour and Robin Uthappa is eager to don the wicket-keeping gloves without waiting to be intimated.
"I am not waiting for anyone to indicate it to me. I am just taking it up, putting my hand up and saying I am doing it," he said.
Ambati Rayudu and Kedar Jadhav are the other options available. However, Jadhav has indicated that keeping for 50-overs is a difficult task for non-regular stumpers. Rayudu's keeping experience has been limited to IPL and henceforth Uthappa in all possibility will be the wicket-keeper for the tour.
"Keeping gives me the information that I am seeking when I go out to bat. All the information that I would probably take five or seven overs to get, I probably get in two overs because I have already got so much information," Uthappa said.
Rahane, who has not been at his best in the middle order will be looking to seal the place in the side. Ambati Rayudu, Uthappa, Manoj Tiwary, M Vijay and Kedar Jadhav along with newcomer Manish Pandey will be looking to make full use of the opportunity.
India squad: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), M Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma
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