Having lost the first T20I of the five-match series, Australia will be eager to make a comeback in the second game against India as the two teams take on each other in the second T20I on Sunday, November 26 at Greenfield International Stadium, Thiruvananthapuram. After being put in to bat first, Australia posted a massive score of 208/3 in their allotted 20 overs courtesy of a splendid hundred from Josh Inglis (110 off 50).
In reply, India chased down the target on 19.5 overs as captain Suryakumar Yadav played a brilliant knock of 80 (42). Hence, Australia will have to bring their A-game to the fore in the upcoming fixture and field their strongest playing XI to make a comeback in the series.
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Here’s Australia’s Predicted XI against India:
Openers: Matthew Short, Steven Smith
Matthew Short failed to get going in the first T20I as he got dismissed for just 13 (11) losing his stumps against Ravi Bishnoi. The 28-year-old has scored 99 runs from four innings so far in T20Is and has a magnificent strike rate of 186.79. Hence, he will be eager to go berserk in the upcoming game.
Steven Smith played a brilliant innings of 52 (41) smashing eight fours and stitched a brilliant 130-run partnership for the second wicket with Josh Inglis and helped his Australia post a massive total of 200. Smith will be eager to continue his form in the upcoming games and make a strong case for his selection in the T20 World Cup 2024.
Middle Order: Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Tim David, Matthew Wade
Josh Inglis played a scintillating innings of 110 (50) in the first T20I as he clobbered 11 fours and eight sixes in his innings. The 28-year-old registered the joint-fastest hundred by an Australian batter in T20Is (47 balls) and took the Indian bowling to the cleaners. He will be eager to play another breathtaking innings in the second T20I as well.
Aaron Hardie didn’t get an opportunity to bat in the first game. The 24-year-old has played three matches so far and scored 23 runs. The Bournemouth-born all-rounder has shown great promise in his T20 career and will be eager to leave his mark at the international level as well.
Tim David has played a brief cameo of 19* (13) in the first T20I and will look for an opportunity to bat for a longer period in the second game. David is touted as one of the upcoming fierce strikers of the cricket ball having scored 826 runs at a strike rate of 162.52 in his T20I career so far.
Matthew Wade also didn’t get a chance to bat in the first game, however, he boasts an experience of 76 matches where he’s scored 1018 runs with three fifties to his name. Given an opportunity, Wade will look to take down the Indian bowlers in the second game.
All Rounder: Marcus Stoinis
Marcus Stoinis scored just 7* (6) in the first game and bowled an expensive spell of 0/36 in three overs. The allrounder will look to contribute with both bat and ball in the second game and help his side make a comeback in the series.
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Bowlers: Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff, Tanveer Sangha
Sean Abbott was expensive in the first T20I as he finished with figures of 1/43 in 3.5 overs. The right-arm seamer has picked 14 wickets from 13 T20Is and will look to at an average of 21.57 and will be eager to add more scalps to his tally in the second game.
Nathan Ellis had a forgettable day in the first T20I as he leaked 44 runs in four overs. However, the right-arm seamer has magnificent numbers in his short career so far as he’s picked 18 wickets from nine innings at an average of 14.33 and an economy of 7.58.
Jason Behrendorff was the pick of the bowlers for Australia in the first game as he registered figures of 1/25 in four overs which included a maiden over. The left-arm seamer has picked ten wickets in his T20I career and will look to once again expose India’s weakness against left-arm seamers in the second T20I.
Tanveer Sangha managed to get two wickets in the first game but was highly expensive as he leaked 47 runs from four overs. The wrist-spinner was taken to the cleaners by Ishan Kishan and hence will be eager to take revenge for the onslaught in the second T20I.
Australia’s predicted XI against India in the second T20I:
Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (c & wk), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff, Tanveer Sangha
