Raipur, November 6 — In a pivotal moment of their five-match T20I series, Team India aims to take the lead against a depleted Australian side in the fourth T20 International on Thursday. With the series tied at 1-1, this match holds significant implications for both teams.
Australia faces challenges without two essential players—Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head. Hazlewood’s absence significantly impacted their bowling performance during the last match, where Australia failed to defend a score of 186. Meanwhile, Head has returned to participate in the Sheffield Shield, focusing on preparations for the upcoming Ashes series.
For India, this encounter presents a crucial opportunity to take a 2-1 lead before the final match at the Gabba. The team showed a more balanced combination in the previous game, featuring an all-rounder at No. 8, which bolstered their batting and bowling depth.
However, India’s vice-captain, Shubman Gill, raises concerns with his recent form. The talented batsman has struggled, recording six innings without a half-century, with recent scores of 10, 9, 24, 37*, 5, and 15. Although he briefly demonstrated his potential in a partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav in Canberra, Gill has continually faced challenges with fuller deliveries.
On a positive note, opener Abhishek Sharma maintains his impressive form, securing a half-century in the previous match while affirming his status as the world’s No. 1 T20 batter. His performance adds meaningful strength to the Indian lineup.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav also aims to convert his promising starts into significant innings. His ability to score runs will be crucial as the team prepares for an upcoming break before the South Africa series.
Match details: The 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.
