In an important step towards their preparation for the T20 World Cup next year, India is set to face Australia. This series of five T20Is kicks off in Vizag on Thursday, November 23.
A new-look Indian team has Suryakumar Yadav as their stand-in skipper with Hardik Pandya injured. There are also several players from the men’s cricket team that won gold in the Asian Games last month. It will be interesting to see how they shape up into a settled combination.
Australia, fresh off a stunning World Cup victory, will be led by Matthew Wade in this series, and they are also seeking for the ideal type of combination for the T20 World Cup next year. On that point, here are three player clashes that may be worth watching throughout the series:
3. Yashasvi Jaiswal vs Jason Behrendorff
Yashasvi Jaiswal has been a revelation for India in the T20I format, practically cementing his spot at the top of the order in a very short period of time. The ability of the young southpaw to hit from ball one and be aggressive is exactly what the Men in Blue want in the shortest format.
Australia understands the need of dismissing Jaiswal early and will rely on Jason Behrendorff’s new-ball abilities. The left-arm bowler has bowled in Indian conditions before and might be a handful against Jaiswal if he gets any swing and seam movement with the new ball.
2. Glenn Maxwell vs Ravi Bishnoi
Glenn Maxwell has always been Australia’s X-factor in white-ball cricket, and his performances in the 2023 World Cup demonstrated why he is so dangerous. He is also an important piece in Australia’s T20I lineup, and India must be wary of the harm he may cause throughout the series.
Maxwell’s potential weakness has been wrist spin, which is why his matchup with Ravi Bishnoi is so fascinating. Bishnoi will be looking to solidify his position in the T20I squad, and keeping Maxwell quiet might help him do so. He has only removed Maxwell once in T20 cricket, but he has also given 37 runs in 20 deliveries, making this an intriguing matchup.
1. Suryakumar Yadav vs Adam Zampa
Suryakumar Yadav, considered by many as the top T20 batter currently, must put aside his World Cup letdown and concentrate on his upcoming responsibilities. As a pivotal player for the Indian T20I team, he will need to consistently score runs and lead by setting a strong example for his teammates.
In T20Is, SKY has scored 45 runs from the 22 balls he has faced against Australian leg-spinner Adam Zampa. However, Zampa has already rejected him, and both players will not back down when they meet again in the series. This might be a critical game in determining where the series goes.