Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer and Sean Williams might be missing from the Zimbabwe squad. (Reuters)
Star names Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer and Sean Williams might be missing from the Zimbabwe squad due to the fallout from the ongoing player-board fracas over non-payment of salaries, but interim head coach Lalchand Rajput is a confident man. The former India coach is up for the challenge ahead of his first assignment, as Zimbabwe take on Australia and Pakistan in a T20I tri-series.
Speaking at the announcement of the final 17-member squad on Monday 25 June, which was trimmed from a preliminary 22-man contingent, Rajput spoke highly of the talent in the country, and is keen on taking a patient approach towards positive results.
The 56-year-old feels the assignment is a challenge that he is familiar with. “As a coach, you like challenges and I think it’s a challenge for me, which I have done with Afghanistan and India when I was appointed the T20 coach and we won the T20 World Cup in 2017," he said.
"It was a challenge with all the youngsters there. With Afghanistan, I was there for one-and-a-half years and we attained Test status. There are areas where we need to tighten up, but we’re working on it. It doesn’t happen overnight.”
Zimbabwe convener of selectors, Walter Chawaguta, is optimistic about Zimbabwe’s chances in the tri-series, with a squad comprising a nice balance between youth and experience. The selection panel are yet to reveal who will lead the side, a matter Chawaguta said is still being discussed.
When asked whether more players named in the 17-man squad could drop out following the announcement, Chawaguta said: “My assumption is that everyone is available and I’ve got no reason to think otherwise.” Ryan Murray and Brandon Mavuta are in-line to make their debuts if they’re given the nod.
Raza meanwhile has posted a photo on Twitter where he said that he was really excited to be a part of the Global T20 League in Canada.
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