India's stand-in captain Ajinkya Rahane has warned his side that underdogs Zimbabwe are "getting better day by day" as the two nations prepare to face each other in the first of three one-day internationals in Harare on Friday.
India are currently second only to world champions Australia in the ICC ODI rankings, while Zimbabwe lie in the bottom two of the 12-team standings with just Afghanistan below them, but Rahane is taking nothing for granted.
The 27-year-old batsman, who will lead an under-strength India side missing the likes of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and Suresh Raina in Zimbabwe, said in The Times of India: "We all know that Zimbabwe is a good side. They have been playing pretty well recently and we are expecting a good series here.
"The boys are looking forward to the series and we are not taking Zimbabwe lightly. We are respecting them, and respecting their cricket. We have got to play good cricket.
"They have got a pretty balanced side. They played pretty well in Pakistan, and they have good, experienced batsmen, good all-rounders and bowlers. And they are getting better day by day. So we respect them, but at the same time we will play our own cricket," added Rahane, who will make his debut as India captain on Friday.
Zimbabwe lost their three-match ODI series against Pakistan 2-0 in May but were far from outclassed - certainly with the bat - as they made 334 for five and 268 for seven in the first two matches, before reaching 69 without loss in the final game when rain forced a wash-out.
India, meanwhile, are coming off a disappointing tour to Bangladesh which saw them held to a draw in the one-off Test before losing the ODI series 2-1, so Zimbabwe will be hopeful of their chances of causing an upset.
The hosts have brought in four new faces to the 16-man squad that toured Pakistan, with Malcolm Waller, Donald Tiripano, Neville Madziva and Regis Chakabva being drafted in.
Charles Coventry, Roy Kaia, Tawanda Mupariwa, Christopher Mpofu and the injured Craig Ervine have been left out of the reduced 15-man group for Friday's match, but some of them could yet be involved in the series, which will include two Twenty20 internationals to follow the one-dayers.
Convener of selectors Givemore Makoni, who said Zimbabwe will pick a squad for each of the ODIs, said: "Mpofu and Kaia will be considered for the next matches in the series and Charles Coventry is in the mix for the T20I series. Ervine is still nursing a hamstring injury.
"In terms of balance, we have opted for nine batters, four seamers and two specialist spinners and our objective is to try and win the series. India has picked a strong side and we are taking them seriously."
For India, veteran spinner Harbhajan Singh, 35, is set to make his first ODI appearance in more than four years during the series while players such as Robin Uthappa and Murali Vijay will be hoping to push their claims in the absence of the established stars.
Source: PA
