Can India really afford to go with Washington Sundar instead of Ravindra Jadeja in shape?
There has been a lot of push from Canberrans in the lead up to the Indian team’s visit to the capital to try to promote as many local businesses as possible. Starting of course with beer. And the Manuka Oval was served well for the third ODI on Wednesday and many of the city’s brewers had the opportunity to showcase their sparkling products. The push to push locals to the forefront has been led by the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, Andrew Barr himself.
You are never too far from cricket and politics coming together while in Canberra. The fact that the Manuka Oval has bleachers named after two of the most popular and cricket-loving Prime Ministers, Sir Robert Menzies and Bob Hawke, is just the most obvious sign of this combination. Even the bars, pubs and restaurants just outside the stadium often have a mature mix of politicians and cricket celebrities rubbing shoulders. And even during matches, you will find many important-looking people in their tailored suits drinking a beer in the stands.
But when Australia and India kick off their three-match T20I series on Friday (December 4), I wouldn’t expect just the locals, but many of Sydney’s, to drive not only to watch cricket, but to do justice to the local beers. in offer. Tickets for this game, like most of the white-ball games involving India, were sold out almost the day they were announced. And while there will be plenty of Indian fans in the offing, which has now become such an important norm that it won’t even deserve a mention soon, there is expected to be decent support for the Australians as well. We are at the cusp of the Big Bash League (BBL) and the next three games over the next five days (the next two will be played at SCG) will act as the perfect appetizer for that. After all, this is the closest Australian fans will get to see some of India’s biggest stars in T20 action.
This series was originally scheduled to be played as a warm-up for the T20 WC which will now take place in Australia just two years later. But the two teams will now use this opportunity to further establish their respective squads in preparation for next year’s event in India. It’s been a mixed year for both of us in T20I cricket. Australia ended up losing their top spot to England after dominating all the contestants last summer. India meanwhile swept the Kiwis by a 5-0 margin in New Zealand and most of their players are coming off a decent performance in the IPL. Some of them like Deepak Chahar, Washington Sundar and Sanju Samson have been with the Indian team from the moment they reached these shores, but have generally gone unnoticed.
The Australians have been hit by a series of injuries and will not be in top form, as they were not in the third ODI. The T20I series is interestingly placed among the ODIs, which everyone was expecting as the start of the most billed tour in 2020 and the most important test series. But there will be no lack of interest or intention either in Canberra or when the teams return to Sydney.
When: Friday, December 4, 2020. 7:10 p.m. local time, 1:40 p.m. IST
Where: Manuka Oval, Canberra
What to expect: India may have started a little slow on Wednesday, but Ravindra Jadeja and Hardik Pandya showed why Canberra’s field is rated one of the best for hitters in Australia. The nation’s capital is also where temperatures drop much later in the evening. But it shouldn’t stop the foursome frenzy, which would expect both teams to churn out heavily, especially if one limit is expected to be shorter than the other.
Team news
Australia
Matthew Wade had replaced Alex Carey for the third T20I in England, but it seems likely that both goalkeepers will give it a go. Australia likes to play their two spinners in the shorter format, and hopefully they will stick with that combination, especially after their very eye-catching performance in the final ODI. Mitchell Starc was seen walking through the Manuka Oval without any discomfort Thursday night. That should mean it starts on Friday.
Possible XI: Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Wade, Steve Smith, Moises Henriques, Alex Carey (week), Glenn Maxwell, Ashton Agar, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Starc / Andrew Tye, Josh Hazlewood, Adam Zampa
India
T Natarajan’s impressive ODI debut should lead to a T20I debut on Friday. Deepak Chahar is also to be expected to start as KL Rahul returns to the opening spot, leaving his place in the middle for Manish Pandey, who had a good tour of New Zealand. The question remains whether Washington Sundar tries, but Jadeja’s winning feats in the third ODI could mean the all-terrain RCB awaits its turn.
Possible XI: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul (week), Virat Kohli (c), Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Ravindra Jadeja / Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah
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