Raipur, November 6 — Team India seeks to capitalize on the opportunity when they confront a weakened Australia in the fourth T20 International here on Thursday. Currently tied 1-1 in the five-match T20I series, this match is crucial for India to take a lead against a team missing pivotal players.
Australia’s injury concerns loom large as they miss Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head. Hazlewood’s absence was particularly felt in Australia’s struggle to defend a total of 186 in the previous match. Meanwhile, Head has been granted leave to participate in the Sheffield Shield, aiming to prepare for the upcoming Ashes series.
For India, this match embodies a prime chance to establish a 2-1 lead before heading into the final encounter at the Gabba. Their performance in the previous match showed promise, with a well-rounded team combination that provided adequate depth in both batting and bowling.
Despite India’s potential, the spotlight remains on vice-captain Shubman Gill, who has seen an alarming dip in form. The talented right-hander has gone six innings without scoring a half-century, with recent tallying of 10, 9, 24, 37*, 5, and 15 runs. While he displayed brief flashes of his past brilliance during a partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav in Canberra, Gill has found it challenging against deliveries moving a bit wider from him.
On a positive note, opener Abhishek Sharma has been a beacon of hope for the Indian batting lineup. Recognized as the world’s No. 1 T20 batter, Sharma’s half-century and explosive starts have showcased his prowess and confidence at the crease.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav has also shown glimpses of his capability, particularly in the first and third games of the series. He aims to convert these promising starts into a substantial innings before the team enjoys a month-long break, leading into a series against South Africa.
Match starts at 1:45 PM IST.
Teams:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (VC), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (C), Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (WK), Josh Phillippe (WK), Mitchell Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Marcus Stoinis.
