After securing a thrilling victory in the inaugural match at Vizag, India is gearing up to face Australia in the second T20I of the five-game series at Thiruvananthapuram's Greenfield Stadium.
In a nail-biting clash on November 23 at ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Vizag, the Men in Blue triumphed over Australia by two wickets, claiming a 1-0 lead in the T20I series. Suryakumar Yadav, the world's number 1 T20I batter, assumed the captaincy for the Indian T20I squad and played a pivotal role in steering his team to success in Vizag.
Suryakumar showcased his brilliance with the bat, amassing 80 runs off 42 balls, featuring nine boundaries and four sixes. His Mumbai Indians teammate, Ishan Kishan, also contributed significantly with a 39-ball 58, aiding India in chasing down 209 runs.
No changes for Team India
It appears that India is inclined to maintain its winning combination from the series opener. Yashasvi Jaiswal is anticipated to partner with Ruturaj Gaikwad at the top of the batting order, while the Mumbai Indians trio of Ishan Kishan, Suryakumar Yadav, and Tilak Varma are expected to form the batting core.
Rinku Singh, a hard-hitting batter, is slated to come in at number 6. Axar Patel, the left-arm spin-bowling all-rounder, will be the sole all-rounder at number 7. The spin-bowling department will be entrusted to Ravi Bishnoi and Axar Patel, while the pace battery will feature Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, and Prasidh Krishna.
Australia, contemplating changes, may introduce spinner Adam Zampa and batter Travis Head. Both players played crucial roles in Australia securing their record-extending sixth ODI World Cup trophy earlier this month but were rested for the initial T20I. There's a possibility of Head opening the batting with Steve Smith, while Zampa might replace Tanveer Sangha despite Sangha's two-wicket performance in the first match.
As the teams prepare for the second T20I, all eyes are on whether Australia's potential changes can counter India's formidable lineup that is riding high on confidence after the Vizag triumph.
PREDICTED XIs
India:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (WK), Suryakumar Yadav (C), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna.
Australia:
Travis Head, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis, Marcus Stoinis, Aaron Hardie, Tim David, Matthew Wade (C & WK), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff, Adam Zampa.
MORE ON SPORTS TAK
Joe Root joins Ben Stokes in missing IPL 2024 in big blow to Rajasthan Royals ahead of mini-auction
