Raipur, November 6 — Team India aims to take the lead against a depleted Australian side when they meet for the fourth T20 International on Thursday. The five-match series stands at 1-1, making this clash pivotal. Shubman Gill, India’s vice-captain, hopes to return to form after a disappointing tour.
Australia’s squad faces challenges as they play without key players Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head. Hazlewood’s absence significantly impacted their last game, where Australia failed to defend a total of 186 runs. Meanwhile, Head has been released to participate in the Sheffield Shield, focusing on preparations for the upcoming Ashes series.
India recognizes this match as a golden opportunity to establish a 2-1 lead before concluding the series at the Gabba. In the previous encounter, India’s balanced team combination showed promise, with an all-rounder positioned at No. 8 enhancing both batting and bowling depth.
However, Gill’s ongoing struggle for form raises concerns among fans. He has not scored a half-century in his last six innings, with scores of 10, 9, 24, 37*, 5, and 15. Although he displayed potential during a partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav in Canberra, Gill has frequently faltered against the moving deliveries.
On a positive note, opener Abhishek Sharma continues to shine, solidifying his reputation as the world’s No. 1 T20 batter. He scored a notable half-century and secured two brisk starts, indicating his current form.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav, who has sparked moments of brilliance in previous games, looks to convert these opportunities into substantial innings before the team rests for a month ahead of their series against South Africa.
The match begins at 1:45 PM IST.
Teams:
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.
