Australia's star player ruled out of first T20I vs India due to personal reasons, 23-year-old named replacement

Australia's star leg-spinner Adam Zampa is unavailable for the start of the five-T20I series against Suryakumar Yadav-led India due to personal reasons. Zampa and his wife Harriet are expecting their second child. Earlier this month, Zampa also missed the Perth ODI due to personal reasons. 

In Zampa's absence, 23-year-old leg-spinner Tanveer Sangha has been added to the squad. Sangha has played four ODIs and seven T20Is so far. Interestingly, his last ODI and T20I appearance was against India. He remained wicketless in the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 semifinal against India. His last T20I match was against India in Bengaluru. He was impressive in his quota of four overs, conceding 26 runs and getting the wicket of Rinku Singh.

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The T20I series starts off at Manuka Oval, Canberra on October 29. It is yet to be seen whether Sangha makes it to the playing eleven. Australia already have a spin-bowling option in Matthew Kuhnemann. The left-arm spinner did well in the rain-curtailed first ODI at Perth Stadium which was reduced to 26 overs. Barring the two sixes in the last over, he bowled well. 

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Reddy fit for T20I series

On the other hand, India’s pace-bowling all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy is likely to regain full fitness ahead of the series opener. Reddy sustained a left quadriceps injury and was ruled out of the third ODI at Sydney Cricket Ground which India won by nine wickets. But, it is yet to be seen whether Reddy will feature in the playing eleven as Shivam Dube is already a fast-bowling all-rounder in the side. 

Australia’s squad for first T20I against India -

Tim David, Travis Head, Matthew Short, Mitchell Marsh (c), Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Josh Inglis, Josh Philippe, Sean Abbott, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Josh Hazlewood, Matthew Kuhnemann, Tanveer Sangha.

India T20I squad vs Australia -

Suryakumar Yadav (c), Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Abhishek Sharma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma, Sanju Samson, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Harshit Rana.