Following the World Cup triumph, Smith, Zampa, Maxwell, Abbott, Inglis and Stoinis won’t be available for the final two T20s.
Having missed an occasion to seal the series in Guwahati, India will have another shot to win the five- match contest when it takes on Australia in the penultimate T20I at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium in Raipur on Friday.
The match will mark the return of designated vice-captain Shreyas Iyer who’ll be back in action after being rested for the original three T20Is following India’s splendid crusade in the lately concluded 2023 World Cup.
India was poised to seal the deal in Guwahati after having won the two successive matches in Visakhapatnam and in Thiruvananthapuram.
Still, despite posting a mammoth 222 in the third T20I, the Indian bowling attack failed to defend the aggregate as Australia managed to pull one back, with Glenn Maxwell conjuring a majestic counter-attacking century in a spectacular last- ball finish to keep the series alive.
Maxwell’s fourth T20I ton — 104 in just 48 balls — transcended Ruturaj Gaikwad’s demoiselle T20I century as the ‘ Big Show ’ blasted 21 runs in the final over and transferred Prasidh Krishna on a leather quest thereby formerly again italicizing his finishing prowess.
India has begun its 2024 T20 World Cup medication in humorless fashion despite the absence of some crucial players and will look to keep the instigation going. With just eight T20Is, including the fourth T20I, before the marquee event set to be held in the West Indies and USA, India will look to crack every box and set the trials in stir before finalising the overall team.
The likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj, Ishan Kishan, and the commander Suryakumar Yadav have been among the runs, with India posting 200- plus summations in all three games.
Jaiswal in particular has been successful in capitalising during the Power Play and setting the tone by furnishing blazing thresholds. Gaikwad is fresh from a century, while Surya has set up his mojo back in the shortest format after floundering to make an impact in the World Cup.
Ishan has hit the strips running with tricky half- centuries and has stamped his authority with the club, inversely emotional with the gloves. With the top- order blasting on all cylinders, Rinku Singh has been the icing on the cutlet, with the 26- time-old slipping the part of a finisher to perfection. Middle- order batsman Tilak Varma most probably will make way for Iyer as the fur unit looks solid.
While the batsmen have been suitable to pile runs and execute clinical run chases, the bowling has been a major concern for India, starting with the fast bowling brace of Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna.
India will look to iron out its bowling straits, as in the three matches, Arshdeep, brushing his full share of four overs, has taken just two lattices, oohing 131 runs.
After giving down 50 runs with just one gate in his first spin, Prasidh did bounce back with a three- gate haul in Thiruvananthapuram, but the medium leader was slaughtered by Maxwell in the ensuing game as he gave down 68 runs in his four overs, with Maxwell sacking 21 runs in the final over to take Australia home in the last T20I.
The Karnataka medium leader is likely to make way for Deepak Chahar, who has been among the runs and lattices in the ongoing Vijay Hazare jewel, before linking up with the Indian platoon. Chahar picked up a six- gate haul against Gujarat and hit an unbeaten half- century against Arunachal Pradesh, and his current form augurs well for his addition in the side.
The vacuity of Mukesh Kumar will strengthen the bowling attack, where the pace department has plodded with line and length.
Mukesh, who missed the third T20I due to particular reasons, has been the name bowler and has delivered the goods at the death.
Ravi Bishnoi has been the pick of the baits, having picked up six lattices, including a three- gate haul, and making an impact inside the Power Play. Axar Patel too has made an impact, and it remains to be seen if Washington Sundar gets a look in.
Following the World Cup triumph, Steve Smith, Adam Zampa, Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Josh Inglis and Marcus Stoinis won’t be available for the final two T20Is and Travis Head will be the only player from the victorious platoon to play the full series.
Australia has ringed in changes by calling in wicketkeeper- batsmen Josh Philippe and Ben McDermott. Off- incentive Chris Green is likely to make his debut in the absence of Zampa with 22- time-old Tanveer Sangha partnering Green with his leg spin.
Jason Behrendorff has been the pick of the Australian bowlers and has tested the Indian batsmen, cramping them for room and drying up the boundaries. Phillipe, McDermott and Tim David are automatic choices, with Matthew Wade leading the side.
Arun-fest is on the cards and dew is anticipated to play a crucial factor in deciding the winner on a downtime evening. The captain calling the toss right would prefer to chase, leaving the platoon fur first to deal with the challenges of defending a total with the wet ball. Know More Latest Cricket News…
