Sydney: After the win in the first T20, India will have their task cut out in the second T20 at the Sydney Cricket Ground against Australia on Sunday. India will miss the services of injured all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who led Men in Blues to triumph in the last match.
The all-rounder has been ruled out of the remaining two games in the shortest format after being hit on the head by a delivery from Mitchell Starc in first T20 International.
India will, however, still put their all strength to win the second T20I and seal the series in the shortest format against an Australia. Aussie skipper Aaron Finch suffered a niggle on his hip in first game at Canberra.
The Yellow Army is already missing vice-captain Pat Cummins who is being rested, opening batsman David Warner who has been ruled out amid groin injury and Ashton Agar is missing due to calf injury. To add more Cameron Green is also ruled out. Nathan Lyon is drafted in the squad.
If Men in Blue win the second T20, they will continue to remain unbeaten in a T20 series in Kangaroos’ land. They drew the three-match T20I series in 2018-19, won the 2015-16 T20I series 3-0, drew the two-game series in 2011-12.
Though, they had lost the one-off T20I in 2008.
Captain Virat Kohli is likely to persist with leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal, who came into the first T20I replacing Ravindra Jadeja as concussion substitute on Friday.
Now with no Jadeja, the responsibility of leading the lower-middle order will now solely rest on Hardik Pandya.
Indian team management could play Shradul Thakur, Jadeja’s replacement in the T20I squad, in place of Mohammed Shami as they may think to rest the senior pacer ahead of the Test series starting from December 17.
Probable XI
- Australia: Possible XI: Aaron Finch (c)/D’Arcy Short, Alex Carey (wk), Steve Smith, Moises Henriques, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa
- India: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul (wk), Virat Kohli (c), Sanju Samson, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah