Rahane to lead second-string India in Zimbabwe

India's batsman Ajinkya Rahane avoids a bouncer from West Indies bowler Andre Russell during their Cricket World Cup match in Perth, March 6, 2015. REUTERS/David Gray

NEW DELHI (Reuters) - India rested regular captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni and a host of other senior cricketers on Monday and put Ajinkya Rahane in charge of a second-string squad for next month's tour of Zimbabwe for three one-dayers and two Twenty20 Internationals.

Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who played the last of his 229 one-dayers in June 2011, returns to the 15-member side for the world number two ODI team's series against a Zimbabwe team ranked nine places lower.