As the echoes of India’s narrow defeat in the 2023 World Cup final fade away, attention now shifts briskly to the forthcoming five-match T20 series commencing on Thursday, November 23, in Visakhapatnam. The series is set to begin a mere three days following the World Cup’s grueling conclusion, posing a formidable turnaround for the players. Yet, despite the tight scheduling, the series holds significant weight as both India and Australia begin their groundwork for the upcoming T20 World Cup that looms just eight months on the horizon.
India, running on a continuity-driven selection strategy, mostly mirrors the squad that faced off against Ireland three months prior, with the notable inclusion of Suryakumar Yadav assuming the captaincy mantle. From the 15-member team garlanded in blue, certain players may find themselves confined to the sidelines for the duration of the series.
Ishan Kishan, despite decent performances in the one-day international arena, seems to have hit a snag in the shortest format. His T20I track record for the year speaks volumes, with a meager 97 runs tallied over eight innings, dwindling further to 60 in his last seven appearances. Balancing a precarious average of 12.1 in T20 matches this year, Kishan’s recent omission from the playing eleven during the West Indies series casts further doubt on his involvement, regardless of being named in the squad.
Shivam Dube’s narrative is intertwined not only with his own capabilities but buffeted by the team’s dynamic requirements, especially with the intermittently available Hardik Pandya. The pace-bowling all-rounder’s inclusion seems logical but is muddled by the anticipated placement of Tilak Varma at No.4. Furthermore, Axar Patel’s return injects added complexity into Dube’s prospective playing chances.
Amongst the bowlers, Avesh Khan confronts a stiff uphill battle to wedge himself into the playing selection. With pitches possibly favoring spin, a trio of tweakers could be prioritized, putting pacers on the back foot. Even if the decision sways towards a seam-heavy attack on flatter decks, Avesh may still lag behind preferred selections such as Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna, not to mention the potential of Mukesh Kumar, who has recently debuted across all formats for the national side this year.
With bated breaths, the players, the fans, and the strategists alike anticipate the unfolding of this eagerly-awaited series. A unique concoction of player potential and team requirements will ultimately dictate the final composition stepping onto the pitch, with some surprising exclusions likely precluding even the most talented from partaking in the imminent clash of cricketing titans.