Rajput did not travelled with team to Pakistan on advisory of Indian high commission.
Zimbabwe batsman Elton Chigumbura has on Wednesday (October 21) downplayed the absence of the national team’s coach and former India batsman Lalchand Rajput and said that it will not have any impact on the team's performance in the upcoming limited-overs series against Pakistan starting on 30 October in Rawalpindi.
Zimbabwe cricket board withdrew Rajput from the touring squad on a request from the Indian Embassy in Harare after the former Indian cricketer was stopped from traveling to Pakistan amid heightened tensions between the two countries.
Now, the Zimbabwe bowling coach Douglas Hondo will take charge of head coach during the three One Day Internationals that are part of the ODI Supers Series and 3 T20Is as well.
Chigumbura told reporters in a virtual media conference in Rawalpindi: “Nothing’s going to change. The same system, same coaches that were under him (Rajput) are the ones that are leading the team, so all the values of the team are still the same.”
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The former skipper further added, “We are having a meeting over a conference call and I'm sure he'll be part of the strategy, so it's just a matter of us as players to carry on and make sure that we implement what he always emphasized to us.”
The 34-year-old is among six current touring players who last toured Pakistan in 2015 when Zimbabwe was the first full International Cricket Council member country to visit the country after a terror attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore back in 2009.
Chigumbura added, “Obviously it’s good to be back in Pakistan. The first time we came here five years ago, everyone was a bit scared, but I think the way they hosted us last time, we are confident that we are in safe hands and so far, everyone is comfortable. And after having our first training session today, we are looking forward to the matches.”
He signed off by saying, “I believe we can be competitive; we came here to win. Everyone is raring to go, especially after being out of cricket for almost six, seven months.”
(With AP Inputs)