Richard Ngarava named Zimbabwe's ODI and Test captain

Left-arm pacer Richard Ngarava has been appointed as Zimbabwe’s Test and ODI skipper, taking over the reins from Craig Ervine, who stepped down from his position. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) confirmed the development on December 20, further announcing Brian Bennett as Ngarava’s deputy. Sikanadar Raza will continue leading the T20I team.

"Ngarava has shown remarkable growth as a player and leader over the years," ZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said in a statement. "He commands respect within the dressing room and has consistently delivered for Zimbabwe across all formats. We believe he is ready to lead the team into its next chapter.

"Craig Ervine led with professionalism, resilience, and dignity during a challenging period. ZC is deeply grateful for his contribution to the team's stability and progress," he added.

Ngarava, 27, has represented Zimbabwe in 11 Tests, 55 ODIs and 90 T20Is, scalping 203 wickets in the three formats combined after making his debut in 2017. He is currently Zimbabwe’s leading T20I wicket-taker with 108 scalps at an economy rate of 7.30. Ngarava is also a regular feature at franchise-based leagues, having participated in ILT20 in UAE, Lanka Premier League (LPL), and Bangladesh Premier League (BPL).

As for 22-year-old all-rounder Bennett, he has the distinction of scoring centuries in all three formats of the game for Zimbabwe. Bennett has played in 11 Tests, as many ODIs and 52 T20Is, with 2453 runs to his name.

"Brian's appointment as vice-captain reflects our confidence in his cricketing intelligence, maturity, and long-term leadership potential," Mukuhlani said. "He represents the future of Zimbabwean cricket."