- Australia’s limited overs tour of India kicks off with the first T20I at Visakhapatnam on Sunday, 24 February.
- India and Australia will be contesting two T20Is, followed by a five-match ODI series.
- This is India’s final international assignment ahead of the ICC World Cup 2019 in England.
- India had drawn a three-match T20I series in Australia in November, before winning the ODIs in January.
Just months prior to the showpiece event of international cricket – the ODI World Cup – India and Australia will lock horns in a meaningless bilateral T20I series. What purpose the two-match series serves, other than filling in the coffers of the two cricket boards and the broadcasters, is best left to imagination.
The two-match series kicks off in Visakhapatnam on Sunday, 24 February, with the second match in Bengaluru on Wednesday.
India Overwhelming Favourites
- India are ranked second in the ICC T20I rankings, while Australia are ranked fifth.
- India hold a 4-1 advantage over Australia in T20Is played in India between the sides.
- The opening game is at the ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam, a happy-hunting ground for the Indian team. India have won eight of the 10 internationals played at the venue, and lost only once; the last game, an ODI against the Windies in October, ended in a tie.
- India have been a force when playing at home, and are currently on a seven-match winning streak in T20Is at home.
India have picked a near-full-strength side for the series – even if Hardik Pandya will miss the series because of the unexplained appearance of a back injury. While the batting line-up should feature all the big guns, the captain will miss the services of left-arm wrist spinner Kuldeep Yadav, who has been rested for the series.
Nine players pick themselves in the XI. It remains to be seen who among Vijay Shankar, Dinesh Karthik, KL Rahul and Siddarth Kaul get to occupy the remaining two places.
India’s Likely XI
Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Rishabh Pant, Krunal Pandya, Siddarth Kaul, Yuzvendra Chahal, Umesh Yadav, Jasprit Bumrah.
Huge Challenge for Aussies
Where Australia are concerned, they have plenty to gain in the next three weeks in India. Australian cricket is at the lowest recent generations have known it to be in, and the only way for them is up.
Australia have a poor record against India, in India and generally in the sub-continent, and therefore this series will be a huge challenge.
Several of the players named in the Australian squad are coming into this series at the back of some impressive performances in the Big Bash League.
Captain Aaron Finch led the Melbourne Renegades to the title, while Glenn Maxwell’s Melbourne Stars finished runner-up. Marcus Stoinis had an outstanding season with both bat and ball, D’Arcy Short was the epitome of consistency with the bat and was the competition’s highest run-getter, while Kane Richardson finished the tournament’s highest wicket-taker. Ashton Turner, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb and Adam Zampa all had their moments at some stage during the competition.
The challenge for the Aussies will be to acclimatize to the change in conditions and counter the challenges posed by the Indian spinners who are among the craftiest in business.
Australia’s Likely XI
Aaron Finch, D’Arcy Short, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Shaun Marsh, Peter Handscomb, Glenn Maxwell, Adam Zampa, Nathan Lyon, Kane Richardson, Jhye Richardson.
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