Although the series is virtually won, the fifth T20I between India and Australia promises to be an interesting match.
So far, the four matches have been high-scoring affairs with some remarkable performances, including spectacular centuries from Ruturaj Gaikwad and Glenn Maxwell.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, which will host the dead-rubber match, is also considered as a batting heaven. Batters will benefit from the advantageous conditions due to the short boundaries and true surface.
There are several narratives circling around the fifth T20I, and not only those involving the hitters. With the hosts planning a trip to South Africa and the visitors looking for retribution, another high-octane confrontation might be on the cards.
Here are three things to look forward to in India’s fifth T20I against Australia.
1. India Sixth Bowler Option
This is a complaint addressed at India, and specifically Suryakumar Yadav, throughout the series. Despite the big score, the stand-in skipper has refused to employ a sixth bowler.
In the first three games, Tilak Varma was the greatest choice, while Yashasvi Jaiswal is another hitter who can roll his arm over. Suryakumar, on the other hand, has elected to stick with his five frontline bowlers, who have frequently proved costly.
India has frequently failed to achieve the perfect balance in white-ball forms, and one of the reasons for this has been their inability to experiment with their bowling choices in such assignments. With the series already won, there’s no reason why the hosts can’t throw caution to the wind and bowl at Tilak (if he plays) or Jaiswal.
2. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Yashasvi Jaiswal to Shine on Sunday
When it comes to his major expertise, Jaiswal will be in the forefront as well. He has led India off to a few fast starts in the series, but he has yet to establish his dominance with a score beyond 50.
Meanwhile, Ruturaj Gaikwad hasn’t done enough to silence his detractors, despite his magnificent century in a losing cause. The 26-year-old will seek to finish off what may be a breakout season with another scorching performance.
Gaikwad and Jaiswal are both members of India’s T20I team for the forthcoming trip to South Africa. With Shubman Gill back at the top of the order, the two will be looking to strengthen their respective claims to be his opening partner.
Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, waiting near the small-format team without much understanding about their future, will be keenly observing the plays of the pair.
3. How will India handle the workloads of their South Africa-bound players?
Axar Patel, Shivam Dube, and Avesh Khan are among those who have not been picked to India’s T20I squad for the upcoming trip to South Africa. Meanwhile, a slew of periphery players have been selected, including Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma, and Washington Sundar.
How would India approach Australia in the decisive match? Considering that Dube missed the entire series and won’t be traveling to South Africa, would they try to give him a chance? Even if Axar won’t be involved in the fight against the Proteas, would they still play him?
The Men in Blue have a lot of middle-order decisions ahead of them, and how they approach those options will reveal their intended course of action. The T20 World Cup in 2024 is quickly approaching, thus every decision must be carefully considered.
