Even as the euphoria of India’s T20 World Cup triumph is yet to sink in, the focus will now shift to finding the next generation of champions as a new-look Indian side prepares to take on Zimbabwe in a five-match T20I rubber, starting Saturday at the Harare Sports Club.

With Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli and Ravindra Jadeja all retired from T20Is, there are at least three spots up for grabs as India begin their preparation to defend their title at home in 2026. With Yashasvi Jaiswal, who is currently part of the post-T20 World Cup celebrations with Rohit and Co, missing the first couple of games, Abhishek Sharma could potentially make his India debut to open the innings with his captain and Punjab teammate Shubman Gill on Saturday.

Ruturaj Gaikwad is a more established option to partner Shubman, who was part of the travelling reserves for the World Cup team but was released after the group stage, and the right-hander joined the team in Harare from the USA.

B Sai Sudharsan, who was Shubman’s opening partner for the Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, is the third opening option for the Indian team, but it will be hard to ignore Abhishek, considering his ultra-aggressive batting approach in IPL 2024 and ability to pitch in with his mix of left-arm finger spin and back spinning carrom balls.

The series will also potentially see the return of India’s best finisher Rinku Singh, who lost out in the World Cup squad, to Shivam Dube, whom India backed as a super-specialised spin disruptor. With 356 runs in 11 innings across four countries (Ireland, China, India and South Africa) at an average of 89 and strike rate of 176.23, Rinku’s ability to swing the blade to accuracy in demanding situations has made him potentially India’s best finisher in recent times, but limited opportunities in the top-heavy Kolkata Knight Riders’ franchise, kept him out of Rohit Sharma’s 15-member squad, although he was part of the side as a travelling reserve till that nail-biting final.

All eyes will also be on Assam’s Riyan Parag, who has given ample demonstration of his capabilities as a competent T20 batter. Parag finally came of age in IPL 2024 with impressive performances for the Rajasthan Royals, to finally earn the call-up to the national team.

India also have abundant wicketkeeping options with one of Dhruv Jurel and Jitesh Sharma making the cut for the first two matches before World Cup-winner Sanju Samson joins the team. The spin department, comprising Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi will aim to capitalise on the opportunities as there’s cut-throat competition in the team, even after the retirement of the slow left-arm orthodox Jadeja.

In the pace bowling department, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed, the two standbys during the T20 World Cup are certainties and Mukesh Kumar, who is a very steady death bowler could be the third seamer pipping Harshit Rana, who is a better slogger with the willow.

The series presents a grand opportunity for the newcomers to make themselves an inseparable part of the team even when the likes of T20 captain-in-waiting Hardik Pandya, his likely deputy Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav are back playing the format. From now till the 2026 T20 World Cup in India, the national team will play 34 games in the shortest format.

As for the home side, Zimbabwe certainly aren’t the most formidable opposition but in the T20 format, they can’t be taken lightly. The hosts will be banking on their gutsy skipper Sikandar Raza, who played for Punjab Kings in the IPL recently, to share his inputs on the Indian outfit and strategise accordingly when they take the field at the Harare Sports Club.