IND vs AUS, 1st T20I | India Predicted XI vs Australia

image-lp9qhmefSuryakumar Yadav will be leading team India in the T20I series against Australia (Source: AP Photos)

The 2023 World Cup hangover is yet to fade but the cricketing world has more in store for us. The finalists of the 2023 World Cup are set to square off against one another in the first of a five-match T20I series at Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam on November 23 (Thursday).

Australia and India were seen tussling hard in the grand finale of the quadrennial event on Sunday and now they have another challenge waiting in queue. The Men's T20 World Cup is just eight months shy and both nations will pace up to prepare their best squad for the shorter white ball event.

Australia have named a 15-man squad led by Matthew Wade in this coveted series. Various senior players who were a part of the Champion side are rested. It includes the likes of David Warner, Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Mitch Marsh, and Cameron Green.

Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Sen Abbott, Adam Zampa are the ones featuring in the squad from the World Cup squad. Tanveer Sangha who was a travelling reserve for the Australian men's cricket team in the World Cup is also a part of the side along with Kane Richardson, Tim David, Matthew Short, Jason Behrendorrf. and Aaron Hardie.

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Almost 90% of the Indian players from the World Championship contingent have been rested after the aftermath on Sunday. Suryakumar Yadav has been asked to captain the team with Ruturaj Gaikwad as the deputy. Shreyas Iyer is going to replace him as the vice-captain of the side for the final two T20Is.

The squad has an array of young talents with the likes of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna, Arshdeep Singh, Washington Sundar, etc. Ishan Kishan is likely to get a nod ahead of Jitesh Sharma for the wicketkeeper’s role. Shivam Dube and Axar Patel are likely to forge the All-rounder quota in the lower middle order.

Having said that, let us have a quick look at India’s predicted XI against Australia for the 1st T20I.


Openers: Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad

India may forge Ishan Kishan and Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top of the order; it will give them the right and left hand combination. Kishan was a part of the World Cup squad but played only two games. He scored 47 against Afghanistan but was dropped as Shubman Gill was fit from dengue. Kishan will be the front-runner with the gloves ahead of Jitesh Sharma.

Gaikwad led the Indian contingent in the Asian Games in Hangzhou and will be key with the bat at the top of the order along with Kishan. The Maharashtra-based cricketer has been consistent in the domestic circuit for three-four years and deserves this spot.


Middle Order: Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, and Rinku Singh

The no.3 and 4 spots shall be acquired by Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma. The former has been a revelation in this format and piled up plenty of runs across domestic leagues, franchise tournaments and international Circuit in the past four years. Although he wasn't all glitters in the ODI format, the T20I format belongs to India’s Mr. 360.

Suryakumar’s partner for the Mumbai Indians- Tilak Varma has been a showpiece with the bat for the past couple of years. The southpaw can also bowl part-time spin and is quite effective at times. Varma has made viable contributions with the bat for India during the West Indies series and will be key in the middle order.

Rinku Singh has made the cricketing fraternity fall in love with his style of batting. He is a matured batter with great composure and one of the finest talents that Uttar Pradesh Cricket has ever produced. Rinku was amusing in the past couple of IPL editions for Kolkata Knight Riders.


All-rounders: Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar

The Indian side may consist of all-rounders in the form of Shivam Dube, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar. All three are unlike one another. Dube had a comeback season with the Chennai Super Kings in the last two years and can bowl seam-up deliveries apart from snacking mighty sixes. 

Axar was a part of the World Cup squad earlier but was injured and therefore left out. He is tight with his left-arm orthodox spin and improved his batting by heaps and bounds. Sundar is yet another spin bowling all-rounder who will look to make the most of his opportunity. His right arm off-spin deliveries disguised with the carrom deliveries can be a catalyst in picking wickets inside the powerplay.


Bowlers: Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh

Yuzvendra Chahal was overlooked by the selectors and Ravi Bishnoi is likely to be the primary spinner of the side. The wrist spinner bowls more googlies than leg-breaks and has been impressive in his short stint with the national side. 

Prasidh Krishna and Arshdeep Singh are likely to be the pace components of the side. The former was a part of the World Cup as a replacement for Hardik Pandya. The Karnataka-pacer has the knack of gaining extra bounce off the surface due to his height and turns out to be effective. Arshdeep will be providing the left-arm pacer’s angle and is a good prospect in the slog overs.


India Predicted XI against Australia

Ishan Kishan (wk), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Suryakumar Yadav(c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Prasidh Krishna, and Arshdeep Singh.