Zimbabwe have named five uncapped players – Luke Jongwe, Richard Ngarava, Roy Kaia, Milton Shumba and Tanaka Chivanga – in their 16-man squad for the series of two Tests against Pakistan, the first of which starts in Harare on April 29.
Brendan Taylor, who missed Zimbabwe’s last Test series against Afghanistan in the UAE because of health issues but made a comeback for the second and third T20Is against Pakistan, has made the cut. Craig Ervine continues to miss out because of a calf injury. Tendai Chisoro, who played his only Test match in 2017, has also been recalled.
The players from Zimbabwe’s Test squad against Afghanistan to miss out were Sikandar Raza, who is recovering from a bone marrow infection, Ryan Burl, Wesley Madhevere, Richmond Mutumbami, and Brandon Mavuta.
Of their replacements, right-arm medium pacer Jongwe was Zimbabwe’s most successful bowler in the T20Is against Pakistan with nine wickets, while left-arm quick Ngarava took two wickets at an economy rate of 8.36. Kaia, a 29-year-old middle-order batter, was part of the XI on his ODI debut against Pakistan in Lahore in May 2015, but didn’t get a chance to bat or bowl as the game was washed out. Shumba, a 20-year-old left-arm spinner, has played two T20Is, while 27-year-old fast bowler Chivanga has never played internationally.
Joylord Gumbie, a wicketkeeper-batter, and Takudzwanashe Kaitano, an offspin-bowling allrounder, have been placed on standby.
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