Coming from a massive jolt in the first match India take on Australia as Rohit Sharma-led side won the toss and elected to field first in the rain-shortened second T20I at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, Nagpur, on Friday (September 23).
Due to rain, the match has been curtailed to eight-overs-a-side. A bowler can bowl a maximum of two overs. The powerplay will also be of two overs.
Captain made two massive changed to India's playing XI as he brought Jasprit Bumrah and Rishabh Pant in place of Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Umesh Yadav. Meanwhile, Australia replaced injured Nathan Ellis with Daniel Sams and Sean Abbott came in for Josh Inglis.
A wet outfield due to overnight rain delayed the start of the second T20 international as the the city has been witnessing rain for the last few days, leaving the ground soggy, which forced the umpires to delay the toss.
“We're going to field first. It's nice, there are so many people who have come to watch us. It is nice to get a game. These games are challenging ones because you don't know what to do. You just have to go out and express yourself. Hopefully we can put up a good show. Since it is an eight over game, we had to make two changes: Bumrah comes in for Umesh Yadav. Bhuvi misses out too and Pant comes in,” India captain Rohit Sharma said after winning the toss.
“We would have bowled first as well. Chasing in a small gave would have been good. We're happy with the way we played and the execution. We have two changes: Ellis is injured and Sams comes in. Sean Abbott comes in for Inglis,” Australia skipper Aaron Finch said before the match.
The lack of a deadly death bowler dearly hurt India in their last T20I against Australia, resulting in gifting away a match that was clearly in their own hands. Setting a massive target of 208 for the visitors courtesy of some brilliant batting by Hardik Pandya, KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav, India was soaring to a win but the pacers in charge of the death overs were unable to defend the total.
During their chase, Australia needed 55 from the last four overs but wrapped up the game with four balls still left in the bank. The team were without their main pacer Jasprit Bumrah, who was out of the team despite being in the squad. Bumrah, who has been out of action since the end of the England tour, skipped the Asia Cup due to a back injury.
Australia (Playing XI): Aaron Finch(c), Cameron Green, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Sean Abbott, Tim David, Matthew Wade(w), Pat Cummins, Daniel Sams, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood.
India (Playing XI): KL Rahul, Rohit Sharma(c), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Rishabh Pant(w), Hardik Pandya, Dinesh Karthik, Axar Patel, Harshal Patel, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal.
