Preview
India won the T20I series on Sunday at Sydney with a stunning finish and now head into the final game of the series eyeing a rare whitewash. In a series of more than one game, the last team to whitewash Australia at home in T20Is is India again in 2016. A lot is at stake for Australia who are missing key players but have a chance to identify their next batch of T20 players.
India are unlikely to play either Jasprit Bumrah or Mohammed Shami with the series won and the Test preparation set to begin. This leaves them with the same group of pacers to choose from. The onus on them will be to ensure the Aussie top-order don’t start off with a bang last time.
Team news and predicted XI
India’s pace trio will be the same likely. Kuldeep Yadav might get a game instead of Yuzvendra Chahal. The batting might see a change with Mayank Agarwal likely to get a one off game at the top. Shreyas Iyer could continue in the middle-order after a decent cameo last game.
Australia will have Matthew Wade opening after his blitz last time. It isn’t clear if Finch is available. He likely won’t play and D’Arcy Short will be Wade’s partner. Nathan Lyon could come in for Swepson despite the leggies involvement last game.
Predicted XI
India
Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Shreyas Iyer, Sanju Samson, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal/Kuldeep Yadav, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan, Shardul Thakur.
Australia
D’Arcy Short, Matthew Wade, Steven Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Moises Henriques, Marcus Stoinis, Daniel Sams, Sean Abbott, Mitchell Swepson, Adam Zampa, Andrew Tye
Fantasy tips
- Virat Kohli hasn’t clearly fired and he is due a big one. Skipper him for this game as a gamble.
- Glenn Maxwell could be handy in the middle overs and is a decent pick.
- Sanju Samson, Matthew Wade and KL Rahul have all teased to fire and we are gambling on all three for the final game.
- Zampa as usual is a good pick with his knack of getting wickets.
- Hardik Pandya is in good form as is T Natarajan. One of them is a good pick as vice captain especially as Hardik could bowl a couple of overs today to see how he goes before the Tests.
Fantasy XI
KL Rahul
Shikhar Dhawan
Sanju Samson
Matthew Wade
Glenn Maxwell
Hardik Pandya
Virat Kohli
Steven Smith
T Natarajan.
Adam Zampa
Andrew Tye