Raipur, November 6 — Team India aims to take the lead against a depleted Australian side in the fourth T20 International on Thursday at 1:45 PM IST. The T20I series is evenly poised at 1-1, creating high stakes for both teams.
Australia comes into this match missing key players Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head. Hazlewood’s absence severely affected Australia’s recent performance, highlighting their vulnerability. Head, having been released to prepare for the Ashes, leaves a gap in Australia’s batting lineup. Their struggle to maintain form appeared when they failed to defend a total of 186 runs in the last encounter.
For India, this match serves as a prime opportunity to secure a 2-1 lead before heading to the Gabba for the final game. In their last outing, India showcased a balanced team combination, with an all-rounder positioned at No. 8 adding depth in both batting and bowling departments.
However, concerns loom over vice-captain Shubman Gill’s form. He has failed to reach a half-century in six consecutive innings, recording disheartening scores of 10, 9, 24, 37*, 5, and 15. Despite moments of brilliance, particularly during a partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav, Gill’s struggles against fuller deliveries moving away from him hinder his consistency.
Despite Gill’s challenges, India enjoys promising performances from other players. Opener Abhishek Sharma stands out with an impressive record. As the current world No. 1 T20 batter, he has delivered a fine half-century along with two rapid starts, giving the team much-needed momentum.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav also shows promise, exhibiting flashes of brilliance in previous matches. He aims to convert his starts into substantial innings, especially with a month-long break following this series before facing South Africa.
Match starts at 1:45 PM IST.
The teams for the upcoming match are:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (VC), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (C), Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (WK), Josh Phillippe (WK), Mitchell Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Marcus Stoinis.
