(Reuters) – Former England batsman Gary Ballance is set to make his test debut for Zimbabwe on Saturday after being selected for the two-match series against West Indies in Bulawayo.
Harare-born Ballance, who played 23 tests for England between 2014 and 2017, signed a two-year contract in December to play international cricket in the country of his birth.
The left-handed batsman made his international debut for Zimbabwe in a T20 match against Ireland last month.
With regular captain Sean Williams recovering from a fractured finger, Craig Ervine will lead Zimbabwe against West Indies.
The hosts will also miss pacemen Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani through injuries, while all-rounders Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl are fulfilling franchise commitments.
The second test, also in Bulawayo, begins on Feb. 12.
(Reporting by Amlan Chakraborty in New Delhi; editing by Peter Rutherford)
