India is preparing to face Australia in the highly anticipated second game of the five-match T20 International series, taking place at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram. The action is set to unfold on Sunday, November 26, at 7 PM IST. Following a nail-biting victory in the first T20I, where Ishan Kishan and Suryakumar Yadav shone brightly, with Rinku Singh also playing a key part in the two-wicket win, the Indian squad is looking to build upon their performance and establish a commanding 2-0 series lead.
Australia, determined to bounce back, is expected to focus on an improved bowling effort to square the series in Thiruvananthapuram. For India, opening batsmen Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal are set to lead the batting lineup, despite an underwhelming start in the previous match due to an unfortunate on-field misunderstanding. Gaikwad, in particular, with 244 runs from six matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2023/24, will be keen to leave a significant mark in the coming encounter.
As for the middle-order, Ishan Kishan’s dynamic 58 off 39 balls in the first match was instrumental in disassembling the Australian attack. He will be aiming to carry forward his exceptional form into the second T20I. Suryakumar Yadav, recovering from a less convincing ODI World Cup stint, returned to form with an explosive 80 runs and is expected to bring another fiery performance on Sunday. Meanwhile, Tilak Varma and Rinku Singh, especially the latter with his critical finishing role, will be anticipated to step up and boost the batting depth. Singh’s 22 off 14 balls at a strike rate of 157.14 was a display of his calm under pressure, which the team will seek more of in the upcoming match.
All-rounder Axar Patel, after a quiet game, will continue to be a strategic player for India given his knack for outsmarting the opposition with his spin and swiftness with the bat. Respective performances of the bowlers, especially Ravi Bishnoi, left some room for improvement in the first match. Bishnoi will face the onus of a better showing, with India hoping for a tighter grip on the game from its bowling unit.
The pace department, featuring Arshdeep Singh and Mukesh Kumar, also had a tough time on a placid track in the preceding game. With both bowlers being targeted by Australia’s Josh Inglis and Steve Smith, they are expected to recalibrate their approach for Sunday’s crucial face-off. A potent change in the lineup could be the inclusion of Avesh Khan over Prasidh Krishna, who leaked 50 runs in his four-over quota. Khan’s potential entry is seen as a move to inject some additional firepower into the bowling attack.
The predicted lineup for India in the upcoming match will see Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan, serving as wicketkeeper, Suryakumar Yadav as captain, followed by Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, and possibly Avesh Khan.
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