Gill to open with Abhishek; Sanju Samson out? India's probable XI for 1st T20I vs Australia

Gill will open with Abhishek; will India exclude Samson? [Source: AFP]

After losing the ODI series convincingly by 2-1, India are getting ready to face Australia in a five-match T20I series. Led by Suryakumar Yadav, India have a formidable team that can give the Australians a run for their money. 

The first match of the series will be played at Manuka Oval in Canberra. As the Men in Blue gear up to take on the Aussies, here we analyse to find out their probable combination for this game. 

Openers: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill

Abhishek Sharma was phenomenal in the Asia Cup, scoring 314 runs at an average of 44.86 and a blistering strike rate of 200. This will be Abhishek's first tour of Australia, as India would like him to step up and ensure a belligerent start for them in the T20I series. The swashbuckling southpaw can thrive on Australia's bouncy decks and frustrate the hosts with his scintillating strokeplay. 

On the other hand, Shubman Gill had a torrid time in the Asia Cup, scoring 127 runs across seven innings at a modest average of 21.17. However, his scoring rate was on the higher side and with India seeing him as their all-format captain, Gill is likely to get all five matches as an opener. 

The SKY vs Tilak conundrum: Who will bat at 3?

(Suryakumar Yadav vs Tilak Varma at 3 in T20Is)

• The aforementioned stats suggest that Tilak Varma has performed much better than Suryakumar Yadav at number three. In fact, Surya has been a better batter at four in T20Is, scoring 1614 runs at an average of 41.38 and a strike rate of 167.25. 
• Therefore, with Suryakumar Yadav struggling with poor form, India might slot him at four, a position that brings the best out of him. Having said that, the Gautam Gambhir-led think tank believes in having a left-right combination in the middle. So, India's number three batter could also be decided on the basis of which opener gets out first. If Gill gets dismissed, we may see SKY entering the middle, while Tilak can be allotted the number three position if Abhishek gets out. 

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Sanju Samson or Jitesh Sharma; whom will India back as WK?

Sanju Samson statistically didn't have a great Asia Cup campaign in Dubai. The swashbuckling batter, who was demoted to the middle order to accommodate Gill at the top order, scored 132 runs at a decent average of 33 and a strike rate of 124.53. However, if we have a close look at Samson's performance, the Kerala batter scored vital runs when the chips were down. 

Besides helping India bounce back with a fighting fifty after a shaky start against Oman, Samson scored a quick-fire 39 against Sri Lanka and formed a crucial stand with Tilak Varma in the final. Therefore, India will likely persist with Samson as their wicketkeeper, and Jitesh Sharma will have to wait to get a chance. 

Dube, Axar are certainties; Harshit Rana likely to play

(Dube and Axar in Asia Cup 2025)

• As evidenced by the above stats, Shivam Dube and Axar Patel stepped up with bat and ball when it mattered in the Asia Cup. Dube will likely pip Nitish Reddy as India's first-choice all-rounder in Hardik Pandya's absence, while Axar Patel, being the frontline spin all-rounder, will certainly find a place in the XI. 
• Meanwhile, Harshit Rana's recent exploits in the ODI series, where he bagged six wickets and scored 25 runs at a strike rate of 125, might help him earn a place in the T20I XI. Given that he used the Australian conditions to his advantage, India will likely include him as their third seamer. 

Arshdeep, Bumrah to lead pace attack; toss-up between Kuldeep and Chakravarthy

(Arshdeep and Bumrah's T20I stats)

• The T20I series against Australia will witness the return of Jasprit Bumrah to competitive cricket after being rested for the ODI series. The seasoned campaigner will lead India's pace attack with Arshdeep Singh, who ensures variety with his left-arm angle and ability to swing the new ball up front. Bumrah and Arshdeep are India's two best T20I bowlers and will play crucial roles with the ball across all three phases. 
• Meanwhile, although India picked all three of Axar, Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy as their spin bowlers in the Asia Cup, the playing conditions in Australia won't allow them to do so. With Axar retaining his place as an all-rounder, India will likely pick only one between Kuldeep and Chakravarthy as their specialist spinner. Although Kuldeep bagged 17 wickets on Dubai's spin-friendly pitch in the Asia Cup, the lack of assistance from the Australian wickets could force India to prefer Chakravarthy over him in Canberra. 

India's probable playing XI for 1st T20I vs Australia

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Suryakumar Yadav, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah

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