Rahane to lead India in Zimbabwe

NEW DELHI: Middle-order batsman Ajinkya Rahane was Monday named captain of a second-string Indian team for a short limited-overs tour of Zimbabwe as the selectors rested key players including captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, Ravichandran Ashwin, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravindra Jadeja and Umesh Yadav were the other regulars not picked for the tour that comprises three one-day and two Twenty20 matches.
Veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who turns 35 on Friday, was included in the 15-man squad even though he has not played one-day cricket for India since 2011 and Twenty20 matches since 2012.
Murali Vijay, Robin Uthappa and Manoj Tiwary also made comebacks in the shorter formats, while seamer Sandeep Sharma and batsman Manish Pandey were the two uncapped players in the squad.
All matches will be played in Harare, with the one-dayers scheduled for July 10, 12 and 14, and the Twenty20 games on July 17 and 19.
India squad for Zimbabwe tour: Ajinkya Rahane (captain), Murali Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma.