The Indian cricket team is set to take on Australia in an eagerly anticipated five-match T20I series starting on November 23rd, just four days following their campaigns in the World Cup final. The matches will kick off in Vizag, offering a mixture of fresh faces and seasoned cricketers on the field. Only three players from India’s World Cup squad will feature in this T20I series, namely Suryakumar Yadav, Ishan Kishan, and Prasidh Krishna.
Suryakumar Yadav, often referred to simply as ‘Surya,’ is poised to take the reigns as India’s 9th T20I captain since the beginning of 2021. Meanwhile, Prasidh Krishna is expected to play a vital role in spearheading the fast bowling attack, following his time on the bench during the World Cup as he stepped in for Hardik Pandya. However, much speculation surrounds the inclusion of Ishan Kishan in the playing XI, given the presence of Jitesh Sharma as another wicketkeeping option and Kishan’s own lackluster batting performance in recent shortest format outings, with his last T20I fifty coming 17 innings ago.
Despite this, if Kishan secures a spot in the final XI, it is most likely that he will bat at the number three position. This is largely attributed to the meteoric rise of Yashasvi Jaiswal at the top of the order. The young batting sensation has racked up an impressive 248 runs in just 8 T20I innings, boasting a strike rate of 167.57, including a century early in his T20I career. Given these performances, Kishan faces considerable pressure to capitalise on any opportunities he receives to feature in the preferred playing XI, especially considering the impending return of more established squad members.
The left-handed Kishan has had a challenging year in the format, with five single-digit scores to lament from eight appearances. The necessity for him to find form swiftly cannot be overstated. Based on the current landscape, it appears Kishan will be included in the lineup, taking his position at first drop while Jaiswal is slated to open the innings with vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad.
As both teams prepare for the confrontation, probable playing XIs are being suggested by analysts and enthusiasts alike, with the following line-ups being the most anticipated:
For India, the expected players to take the field are: Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Avesh Khan.
On the Australian side, we may see: Matthew Short, Travis Head, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade (c, wk), Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell/Aaron Hardie, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa/Tanveer Sangha, Jason Behrendorff.
As the hours tick closer to the first match of the series, both teams finalize their tactics and fans around the world anticipate a riveting contest. With numerous young players given the opportunity to make their mark on the international stage and seasoned veterans looking to reinforce their reputations, this T20I series promises to be a high-octane showcase of cricketing talent and strategy.