India’s Predicted Playing XI for 2nd T20I against Australia: Sportsrush presents before you India’s playing XI for the second T20I.
Coming on the back of remaining undefeated across formats in Australia, India now face the danger of losing the home T20I series against the same opposition. While India didn’t win but drew the T20I series down under, they find themselves in a similar situation right now.
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Having lost the first T20I by three wickets, India would now be looking to win the second one at Bengaluru tomorrow to draw the series. With their batting faltering big time at Visakhapatnam, it will be the hosts’ biggest concern. Having said that, the wicket at Chinnaswamy Stadium should come to their aid tomorrow.
Another major concern for India will be to resist the temptation of experimenting because of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. With this series on the line, one expects them to play their best combination tomorrow.
India’s Predicted Playing XI for 2nd T20I against Australia
1) Top-order – In the first T20I, India played Lokesh Rahul ahead of Shikhar Dhawan in a bid to give the right-hand batsman more game-time before the World Cup. Rahul scoring his fifth T20I half-century in his return back to form should make him retain his spot for the second match.
To play a left-right opening pair, India might look to rest Sharma for Dhawan but that remains unlikely. Therefore, India’s top-three is most likely to comprise of Sharma, Rahul and captain Virat Kohli.
2) Middle-order – Blame it on the situation or his own inability to play the big shots, former India captain and current wicket-keeper batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni was severely criticized for scoring 29* (37). Because the wicket-keeper batsman-duo of Rishabh Pant and Dhoni are unlikely to be dropped or rested, one expects both of them to come good during the middle overs.
In the 11 T20I innings which Dinesh Karthik has played while batting first, he has scored 130 runs at an average of 16.25 and a strike rate of 136.84. While he has been uber-consistent in finishing innings for India lately, he has also been below par when it comes to batting during a batting collapse.
With all-rounder Vijay Shankar in the squad, the team management might look to play him ahead of Karthik tomorrow.
3) Bowlers – Despite not being able to defend 14 runs in the last over in the first match, Umesh Yadav is also likely to retain his spot. With him not being in the squad for the ODI series, the second T20I will be his last chance to audition for the World Cup squad.
To accompany fast bowler Jasprit Bumrah, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and all-rounder Krunal Pandya, India might look to play Siddarth Kaul after observing the wicket. Mayank Markande, who made his T20I debut on Sunday, might have to warm the bench despite bowling well if India think of playing Kaul.
India’s Predicted Playing XI for 2nd T20I against Australia – 1) Rohit Sharma 2) Lokesh Rahul 3) Virat Kohli (c) 4) Rishabh Pant 5) MS Dhoni (wk) 6) Vijay Shankar 7) Krunal Pandya 8) Umesh Yadav 9) Siddarth Kaul/Mayank Markande 10) Yuzvendra Chahal 11) Jasprit Bumrah
