MUMBAI, May 25 (PTI): Captain of a second-string Indian squad to Zimbabwe, Suresh Raina today said the absence of senior players has given the youngsters an opportunity to prove their mettle in the tri-series and two bilateral Twenty20 Internationals against the hosts.
�We have to thank the seniors who have taken a rest and it has given a great opportunity for the youngsters to do well. We have a good bench and all of them have done well in domestic cricket,� said the 23-year-old, who is yet to play in a Test match, ahead of the team�s departure here.
The Indian team will be without eight senior players, including regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and veteran batsman Sachin Tendulkar, for the May 28-June 9 tri-series, also involving Sri Lanka, and the two T20 Internationals against Zimbabwe on June 12 and 13. Raina said the young team under him was a balanced one and expressed confidence that they would do well in the tri-series and the Twenty20 Internationals.
�It�s going to be an exciting series. We have a well-balanced team. We have lot of good batsmen who have done well in first class cricket and in IPL. We have a good medium pace attack and good set of all-rounders. We will win the series if we work hard,� he said.
Raina said leading the country was an honour and dream come true for him.
