After 10 months, India will be playing their first T20I game when they will be locking horns with Australia in the opening game of the three-match series at Manuka Oval in Canberra. The venue also hosted the final ODI of the series played on Wednesday. Australia had won the ODI by a 2-1 margin, but the visitors managed to salvage pride with a win in the final ODI. The Men in Blue will hope to carry forward teh momentum and register a win in the opening T20I.
The last time two teams locked horns in a T20I series in Australia, the series ended at 1-1. Two years before that, MS Dhoni-led India had whitewashed Australia 3-0. Going into the contest, there will be changes in the playing XI of both teams. Marnus Labuschagne isn’t considered to be a T20 specialist and he will be replaced at the top. The right-handed batsman had opened the innings in the third ODI.
ALSO READ: Netizens Applaud As Wasim Jaffer Took A Dig At Manjrekar Over Jadeja
For India, Deepak Chahar is a confirmed selection in the playing XI. He is likely to come in for Jasprit Bumrah, who is expected to be rested. Yuzvendra Chahal will also be back into the playing XI in place of Kuldeep Yadav, who isn’t part of the T20I squad. KL Rahul will open the innings with Shikhar Dhawan.
Australia
Matthew Wade had replaced Alex Carey for the third T20I in England but they both will be expected to playing against India. Australia likes to play both their spinners in the shortest format, and you’d expect them to stick with that combination, especially after their very eye-catching showing in the final ODI. Mitchell Starc can be expected to make a comeback at the Manuka Oval without any discomfort late on Thursday evening.
Probable XI: Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Wade, Steve Smith, Moises Henriques, Alex Carey (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Agar, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc/Andrew Tye, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
India
T Natarajan’s impressive ODI debut should lead to a T20I debut on Friday. One can also expect Deepak Chahar to start while KL Rahul can be seen coming back to the opening position, vacating his spot in the middle for Manish Pandey, who had a good tour of New Zealand. The question remains whether Washington Sundar gets a chance but Jadeja’s match-winning exploits in the third ODI might mean the RCB all-rounder waits his turn.
Probable XI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul (wk), Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja/Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah
