Winning start the target as India begin Australia sojourn

Overview

Australia v India
1st T20I
Brisbane Cricket Ground, Woolloongabba, Brisbane
Wednesday, 21 November 2018; 19:00 local, 09:00 GMT

One of the two final frontiers for India in terms of Test cricket, Australia has been a happy hunting ground for the them in the shortest format of the game in recent past – they won the last T20I series they played here, sweeping the hosts 3-0 in 2016.

India, who "want to make a mark" this time around in Australia, will look to begin well. As it is, the challenge could be a tough one on the fast and bouncy pitch at the Gabba, which India vice-captain Rohit Sharma considers as the fastest in Australia.

India have enough quality and depth in the side and form too behind them to give Australia a strong challenge in their own backyard.

Sharma has hit two T20I centuries this year, captain Virat Kohli had another record-breaking series against the Windies at home, and newbie Rishabh Pant, in the side in the place of MS Dhoni, warmed up for his first tour of Australia with his maiden T20I half-century against the Windies.

In addition to the three, Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul, Dinesh Karthik and Krunal Pandya – who had a good show with both bat and ball against the Windies in his debut series – make a strong batting line-up.

Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Jasprit Bumrah, the latter returning to where he made his mark as a star-in-the-making, form the potent as ever fast-bowling attack and have the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal for company. Together, the four make a formidable combination.

Khaleel Ahmed, the find of the Asia Cup 2018 for India, impressed against the Windies at home and Australia could be for him what it was for Bumrah in 2016 – a proving ground.

And while a 3-0 series win against the Windies, a 2-1 win against England before that and two more T20I series wins earlier in the year make India red-hot in terms of form, it has been completely opposite for Australia.

Their year began with the honour of completing the highest successful chase in T20I cricket and a victory in the tri-nation T20I series in New Zealand, but that remains the only highlight.

Australia lost to Pakistan in the final of another tri-series also involving the hosts, Zimbabwe, and then went on to lose the three-match T20I series in the United Arab Emirates and theone-off T20I against South Africa at home.

But there have been positives. Aaron Finch, who smashed the highest individual score in T20I cricket earlier in the year when he hit a 76-ball 172 against Zimbabwe, is always a threat at home.

Power-hitters in Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell and Marcus Stoinis give their captain enough support in the batting order. The emergence of Alex Carey as a reliable middle-order wicket-keeper batsman has also helped.

Their bowling will be lead by Andrew Tye and Jason Behrendorff, the latter had a memorable T20I debut series against India last year when he picked up 4/21 to bowl Australia to a victory in Guwahati. Adam Zampa, Nathan Coulter-Nile and Billy Stanlake are also in the mix to add spice and variation.

Australia have all the talent; it's just that they need to get some form on their side, which India are travelling with.

Key players

Aaron Finch (Australia): The hosts will rely heavily on their captain and will look up to him to give the team a strong start. With an ability to bat through the innings, Finch, with his experience, will be a threat for India.

Rohit Sharma (India): The man with more T20I centuries than any other man and who, by his own admission, cherishes fast and bouncy wickets such as at the Gabba, could be the No.1 target for the hosts. With runs aplenty in his kitty, Sharma will look to finish the year on a high.

Conditions

It was cloudy and breezy when India arrived at the Gabba for their first practice session. But it is expected to be hot and humid on Wednesday. The traditionally bouncy wicket at the Gabba is expected to test the batsmen from both sides.

Squads

**Australia:**Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Jason Behrendorff, Alex Carey (wk), Nathan Coulter-Nile, Chris Lynn, Glenn Maxwell, Ben McDermott, D'Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Andrew Tye, Adam Zampa

**India (starting 12):**Virat Kohli (c), Khaleel Ahmed, Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Krunal Pandya, Rishabh Pant (wk), Lokesh Rahul, Rohit Sharma, Kuldeep Yadav