A 15-member India cricket squad, led by Virat Kohli, left here this morning for Zimbabwe to take on the hosts in a five-game one-day international series commencing on July 24.
The squad is without inspirational captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni who has been given a break by the national selectors.
The selectors have also rested three pace bowlers — Ishant Sharma, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav — along with spinner R Ashwin.
India are visiting the African nation after three years.
In June 2010, an India team led by Suresh Raina took part in a triangular ODI series in Zimbabwe but came a cropper, failing to reach the final.
India made amends when they blanked Zimbabwe 2-0 in the Twenty20 series held immediately after the conclusion of the tri-series final won by Lanka.
Apart from Raina, Kohli was also part of that squad as vice-captain and it included Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, Rohit Sharma and Vinay Kumar who are members of the current touring team.
The squad: Virat Kohli (Capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Dinesh Karthik, Cheteshwar Pujara, Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Parvez Rasool, Mohammed Shami, R Vinay Kumar, Jaidev Unadkat and Mohit Sharma.
The schedule: Jul 24: 1st ODI; Jul 26: 2nd ODI; Jul 28: 3rd ODI (all at Harare); Jul 31: 4th ODI; Aug 3: 5th ODI (both at Bulawayo).
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