After a disappointing tour of the United Kingdom, Team India begins a crucial three-match T20I series against Zimbabwe. With several senior players rested, all eyes are on young stars, especially 15-year-old sensation Vaibhav Suryavanshi, who returns to the venue where he led India to the Under-19 World Cup title. Captain Shreyas Iyer faces mounting pressure after India's poor run in England, while Gautam Gambhir will look for a strong comeback from his side.

Can India's young brigade turn things around against Zimbabwe? Watch our full preview of the 1st T20I, probable playing XI, key players, and everything you need to know.

India Begin Zimbabwe T20 Series With Young Squad As Pressure Mounts On Gautam Gambhir

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEE) has further strengthened its position in the sports broadcasting landscape by acquiring the exclusive broadcast rights for India’s upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. The agreement with Zimbabwe Cricket reinforces the company’s growing presence across major sporting properties, including cricket and football, alongside premium events such as the IL T20 and the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The Twenty20 International (T20I) series will be broadcast live on Unite8 Sports 1 and Unite8 Sports 1 HD in Hindi, as well as on Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD in English, ensuring extensive coverage for cricket fans across the country.&nbsp;&nbsp;Speaking on the development, Bavesh Janavlekar, Chief Business Officer, Unite8 Sports, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said, “We are delighted to bring India’s tour of Zimbabwe to viewers as we continue to scale Unite8 Sports into a compelling destination for premium global sport. This acquisition reflects our broader strategy of building a diversified sports portfolio. We will continue to offer rich and engaging sporting action across our platforms and look forward to a long-term partnership with Zimbabwe cricket.”&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/trump-says-us-will-ensure-the-right-people-enter-for-fifa-world-cup-2026-1781113801958">Trump says US will ensure 'the right people' enter for FIFA World Cup 2026</a>&nbsp;The acquisition marks another significant step in Zee’s strategy to expand its sports offerings and deliver world-class sporting content to audiences through its growing network of sports channels. Meanwhile, building on the rising popularity of football and the growing anticipation for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (Z) has secured partnerships with over 12 leading brands spanning key sectors such as automotive, FMCG, BFSI, beverages, technology, lifestyle, and more.&nbsp;&nbsp;Headlining the sponsorship roster are Mahindra as the Co-Presenting Sponsor and Diageo as the Co-Powered By Sponsor. The tournament has also attracted several marquee brands, including Apple, Pernod Ricard, and Mondelez, among others, underscoring the strong commercial appeal of the global sporting spectacle across multiple platforms.

Zee Entertainment secures exclusive broadcast rights for India’s Zimbabwe tour 2026. Watch the T20I series live on Unite8 Sports channels in Hindi and English

Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (ZEE) has further strengthened its position in the sports broadcasting landscape by acquiring the exclusive broadcast rights for India’s upcoming tour of Zimbabwe. The agreement with Zimbabwe Cricket reinforces the company’s growing presence across major sporting properties, including cricket and football, alongside premium events such as the IL T20 and the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026. The Twenty20 International (T20I) series will be broadcast live on Unite8 Sports 1 and Unite8 Sports 1 HD in Hindi, as well as on Unite8 Sports 2 and Unite8 Sports 2 HD in English, ensuring extensive coverage for cricket fans across the country. Speaking on the development, Bavesh Janavlekar, Chief Business Officer, Unite8 Sports, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd., said, “We are delighted to bring India’s tour of Zimbabwe to viewers as we continue to scale Unite8 Sports into a compelling destination for premium global sport. This acquisition reflects our broader strategy of building a diversified sports portfolio. We will continue to offer rich and engaging sporting action across our platforms and look forward to a long-term partnership with Zimbabwe cricket.” Also Read: Trump says US will ensure 'the right people' enter for FIFA World Cup 2026 The acquisition marks another significant step in Zee’s strategy to expand its sports offerings and deliver world-class sporting content to audiences through its growing network of sports channels. Meanwhile, building on the rising popularity of football and the growing anticipation for the FIFA World Cup 2026 in India, Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. (Z) has secured partnerships with over 12 leading brands spanning key sectors such as automotive, FMCG, BFSI, beverages, technology, lifestyle, and more. Headlining the sponsorship roster are Mahindra as the Co-Presenting Sponsor and Diageo as the Co-Powered By Sponsor. The tournament has also attracted several marquee brands, including Apple, Pernod Ricard, and Mondelez, among others, underscoring the strong commercial appeal of the global sporting spectacle across multiple platforms.

Zee Entertainment acquires exclusive broadcast rights for India’s Zimbabwe T20I tour in July 2026, strengthening Unite8 Sports' cricket portfolio

Zee Entertainment secures exclusive broadcast rights for India’s tour of Zimbabwe

Team India have added Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana to their squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour as replacements for Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first two T20Is. The announcement made on Tuesday (July 2) saw the trio being added after Samson, Dube and Jaiswal are unlikely to be available due to travel fatigue and time management issues. India are set to play Zimbabwe in a five-match T20I series which starts on Saturday (July 6) in Harare.

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🚨 NEWS 🚨 
 
Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana added to India’s squad for first two T20Is against Zimbabwe. 
 
Full Details 🔽 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TeamIndia?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TeamIndia</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ZIMvIND?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ZIMvIND</a><a href="https://t.co/ezEefD23D3">https://t.co/ezEefD23D3</a>
— BCCI (@BCCI) <a href="https://twitter.com/BCCI/status/1808061549707141518?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
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<h2>Harshit Rana, Sai Sudharsan added to the India squad</h2>

Samson and Co are yet to return to India after winning the T20 World Cup in the early hours of Sunday morning. Hurricane Beryl has hit Barbados after the world cup and the Indian team is stuck there and their return to India is delayed. This means Samson, Dube and Jaiswal are unlikely to be available for selection for Saturday’s opening T20I in Harare.

According to the latest reports, the trio will only return to India on Wednesday evening along with the rest of the squad through a charter flight. It is anticipated that all the players will participate in a road show and will have a dinner with the Prime Minister on Wednesday or Thursday evening. In this case, Samson and Co are unlikely to reach Zimbabwe on time and will face travel fatigue.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/wanted-to-have-a-piece-of-it-with-me-rohit-on-why-he-had-a-bite-of-barbados-pitch-after-indias-t20-wc-win-737076">'Wanted to have a piece of it with me': Rohit on why he had a bite of Barbados pitch after India's T20 WC win</a>

On the other hand, Sudharsan, Jitesh and Rana will have the opportunity to showcase their talent on the international stage. They have been knocking on the doors of the Indian team for a long time and have travelled with the India A squad. Sudharsan has played for India in three ODIs while Jitesh has represented the national side on nine occasions in the T20I format. Harshit Rana&nbsp;was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) side that won the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) title and is yet to make his debut for India in any format.

The trio will likely return to India after the opening two T20Is and Samson and Co are predicted to be available for the rest of the series.

Team India have added Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana to their squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour as replacements for Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first two T20Is.

Team India have added Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana to their squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour as replacements for Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube and Yashasvi Jaiswal for the first two T20Is. The announcement made on Tuesday (July 2) saw the trio being added after Samson, Dube and Jaiswal are unlikely to be available due to travel fatigue and time management issues. India are set to play Zimbabwe in a five-match T20I series which starts on Saturday (July 6) in Harare. 🚨 NEWS 🚨 Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Harshit Rana added to India’s squad for first two T20Is against Zimbabwe. Full Details 🔽 #TeamIndia | #ZIMvINDhttps://t.co/ezEefD23D3 — BCCI (@BCCI) July 2, 2024 × Harshit Rana, Sai Sudharsan added to the India squad Samson and Co are yet to return to India after winning the T20 World Cup in the early hours of Sunday morning. Hurricane Beryl has hit Barbados after the world cup and the Indian team is stuck there and their return to India is delayed. This means Samson, Dube and Jaiswal are unlikely to be available for selection for Saturday’s opening T20I in Harare. According to the latest reports, the trio will only return to India on Wednesday evening along with the rest of the squad through a charter flight. It is anticipated that all the players will participate in a road show and will have a dinner with the Prime Minister on Wednesday or Thursday evening. In this case, Samson and Co are unlikely to reach Zimbabwe on time and will face travel fatigue. ALSO READ | 'Wanted to have a piece of it with me': Rohit on why he had a bite of Barbados pitch after India's T20 WC win On the other hand, Sudharsan, Jitesh and Rana will have the opportunity to showcase their talent on the international stage. They have been knocking on the doors of the Indian team for a long time and have travelled with the India A squad. Sudharsan has played for India in three ODIs while Jitesh has represented the national side on nine occasions in the T20I format. Harshit Rana was part of the Kolkata Knight Riders’ (KKR) side that won the 2024 Indian Premier League (IPL) title and is yet to make his debut for India in any format. The trio will likely return to India after the opening two T20Is and Samson and Co are predicted to be available for the rest of the series.

India tour of Zimbabwe: Sai Sudharsan, Harshit Rana added to India’s squad as back-up to Sanju Samson and Co.

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India Begin Zimbabwe T20 Series With Young Squad As Pressure Mounts On Gautam Gambhir

Zee Entertainment bags exclusive broadcast rights for India’s tour of Zimbabwe

India tour of Zimbabwe: Sai Sudharsan, Harshit Rana added to India’s squad as back-up to Sanju Samson and Co.