Team India secured a comfortable victory in the fourth T20I against Australia. Having already sealed the series 3-1, India might aim to test their bench strength under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav.
While perfection has eluded Suryakumar’s side in this series, they have showcased resilience, overcoming challenges to secure wins. Players like Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rinku Singh, Jitesh Sharma and Ravi Bishnoi played pivotal roles.
Jaiswal’s aggressive opening, Ruturaj’s classical style, Rinku’s dynamic batting, Jitesh’s finishing, Axar and Bishnoi’s exceptional bowling have captivated the audience.
However, struggling with the new ball has been a recurring theme for India in this series. Although Australia’s new ball bowlers faced challenges, the defining factor has been the spin quality of the Indian team. In contrast to the inexperienced Tanveer Sangha, Bishnoi and Axar extracted more from the surfaces.
With the series secured, the upcoming game provides an ideal opportunity to assess Washington Sundar. While it may not cement his place in the side, it could mark the beginning of his Indian career resurgence.
Australian skipper Matthew Wade acknowledged their shortcomings, particularly against spin. Players like Ben McDermott, Josh Philippe, Aaron Hardie and Matthew Short have shown vulnerability against slower bowlers. Australia are fortunate that India lack a third spin-bowling option.
For Australia, finishing their India tour on a high is the target, with Travis Head playing a key role. Head, the Player of the Match in the World Cup final, is the most high-profile remaining player from the winning team. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, with its helpful conditions for Head’s aggressive batting, promises an exciting spectacle if Head finds form.
While bowling has been a challenge for both teams, the batting units have excelled. Given the nature of the Chinnaswamy pitch and ground dimensions, another high-scoring encounter is expected on Sunday.
Time and Venue Details
India vs Australia. 7 PM. M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru.
Expected Conditions
The forecast indicates no rain, although the region’s weather can be unpredictable. The batting-friendly pitch suggests that scores in excess of 200 are likely. Bowlers will have a tough time.
Possible XIs
India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Jitesh Sharma (wk), Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Deepak Chahar, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar.
Australia: Josh Philippe, Travis Head, Ben McDermott, Aaron Hardie, Tim David, Matthew Short, Matthew Wade (c/wk), Ben Dwarshuis, Chris Green, Jason Behrendorff, Tanveer Sangha.
Match-up
Bishnoi vs Head: Bishnoi defies convention, which makes him a perfect fit for the T20 format. In this series, he has emerged as India’s standout bowler, claiming seven wickets and conceding fewer runs than his counterparts. Head has the reputation of unsettling bowlers with his aggressive style of batting. He will look to disrupting Bishnoi’s rhythm right from the start.
Match Speak
I think it was important for all of us to express ourselves and enjoy the game. I think everyone pretty much took responsibility at every stage. So, we are really happy with the result, but there’s still one match to go.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, India opener.
Just to continue to learn from the guys who are already established in the team and to have depth in the squad is really key as the T20 World Cup is round the corner.
Matthew Wade, Australia captain.