After beating Australia in the opener of the T20I series, the Indian team would be looking for an aggressive advantage when they take the field against the hosts on December 6 in Sydney. A full performance helped the Indian visitors to record a total of 11 races at Canberra. But unfortunately, they faced a massive hit in terms of Ravindra Jadeja leaving with the concussion after the off-roader was hit on his helmet.
The Indian think tank will now focus on filling in the empty space in the middle order, ensuring a roster change in the next game.
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Here is India’s planned XI against Australia for the second Q20:
1. KL Rahul: Rahul’s excellence in the shorter format has been impeccable of late. After an outstanding IPL season, he continued the momentum in Australia and scored a fifty in the Canberra match. He is a permanent candidate in the opening position.
2. Mayank Agarwal: Mayank’s association with Rahul was devastating in the recently concluded IPL. Fans would also love to see him perform on the international stage. Shikhar Dhawan’s inconsistency may knock him out of the lineup on Sunday, ushering in Mayank’s debut in T20I.
3. Virat Kohli: The captain needs to shoot and take the game deeper, which he couldn’t do in Canberra. His presence in the fold keeps opponents under pressure. A great input from him is still expected.
4. Sanju Samson: Samson’s entries in the last game were short but entertaining. He didn’t waste much time calming down and was quick enough to gain momentum. He deserves another chance to show his hitting prowess against the Australians.
5. Manish Pandey: Pandey has been a strong middle-order hitter with exceptional fielding skills. He’s been agile on the field, but he also needs to meet up between races.
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6. Hardik Pandya: Pandya has been red hot since the start of the India tour of Australia. He was unable to score in the previous game, but he has proven his mettle by hitting at No. 6.
7. Washington Sundar: Sundar was absolutely inexpensive with the ball in the last game. However, you need to take a little responsibility when hitting. He has the ability to hit big shots and would be required to unleash some of them.
8. Deepak Chahar: Deepak Chahar has been one of the specialist players in T20. Everything you need to get back your bowling mojo that you missed in Canberra.
9. Yuzvendra Chahal: Chahal has enough headlines to appear as a substitute for a concussion in the last game. He was one of the best performers and he will also be asked to continue the momentum in Sydney.
10. T Natarajan: The Yorker specialist bowler from India will be one of the players to watch out for. Their three-course run on their Canberra debut outdid the Australians in their own backyard, that too, in style.
11. Jasprit Bumrah: Shami was left without a wicket in the first game and is likely to be replaced by Bumrah for the second T20I in Sydney. The inclusion of Bumrah will also give the group of experts an opportunity to test their pairing with Natarajan in the shorter format.
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Predicted XI of India against Australia by the second Q20: KL Rahul (week), Mayank Agarwal Virat Kohli (c), Sanju Samson, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah
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