IND vs AUS 1st T20I Preview: India's search for a set template to continue

India vs Australia 1st T20I preview: The Indian team would continue its search for a template as they will face Australia in the first match of the three-match series at Mohali

The Indian cricket team will be facing World Champions Australia in a three-match series, starting with the first match on Tuesday, September 20, 2022, at the IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali, Chandigarh. 

 

The three matches against Australia and three more against South Africa will be the final preparation for the men in blue before they head down for the T20 World Cup 2022. Thus this series would give yet another chance for Rahul Dravid and Rohit Sharma as captain and coach to either experiment or play with a settled unit and carry it to the World Cup. 

 

Is there really a template that India follows?

 

After the failure of the Indian team in the last T20 World Cup in UAE, numerous questions were raised about the template that Team India follows. Since the World Cup, Rohit took over the reins and did well on the home turf, playing positive and attacking cricket. However, just as the team played in its first-ever multi-nation tournament (Asia Cup) and all the big players were available for selection, things were back to zero as Virat Kohli and KL Rahul once again lacked intent. 

 

Now the word template has once again entered the circles of discussion, and the upcoming six games would indicate what is going to be the template that the Indian team would follow leading up to the World Cup. 

 

India vs Australia: How will the teams shape up?

 

All the focus will be on Tim David, representing Australia for the first time, having already played international cricket for Singapore. He gave up his Singaporean citizenship and chose his father's country after his big-hitting prowess got noticed worldwide. 

 

Along with David, Nathan Ellis and Cameroon Green will also be in focus. They have replaced the likes of Mitchell Starc and Mitch Marsh, who are sure to play eleven probables for the T20 World Cup.

 

As for India, Umesh Yadav has come in place of Mohammad Shami. But with Jasprit Bumrah, Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar already in the side, it is difficult for him to get a place in the playing eleven. The opening pair of KL Rahul and Rohit Sharma will be under focus, and so will be the selection between Rishabh Pant and Dinesh Karthik as the wicket-keeper batter.    

 

India's likely playing 11

 

Rohit Sharma (c), KL Rahul, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Hardik Pandya, Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik/Rishabh Pant (wk), Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Arshdeep Singh

 

Australia's likely playing 11

 

Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Wade, Steve Smith, Josh Inglis, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell, Cameron Green, Pat Cummins, Kane Richardson, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood

 

Ind vs Aus: Pitch report

 

The pitch at Mohali has always been friendly to pace and bounce, and it will likely remain the same for this game. There would be a bit of dew as it is always in north India. Chasing would be a more straightforward job here