India’s Predicted Playing XI for 2nd T20I vs Australia: Sportsrush presents before you India’s Playing XI for next match vs Australia.

Having lost the first T20I of their tour of Australia by 4 runs (DLS Method), India can’t afford to lost another match in the three-match series if they are to win the T20I series. While India did make mistakes at Brisbane, they would be looking to learn from them in the matches to come, as captain Virat Kohli said.

Not that India failed miserably today that they appear to be in a do-or-die situation at this point in time, it’s just a ramification of playing a three-match series, where losing the first match can be often hard on you.

While India would not be ringing plentiful changes to their squad for the second T20I, it is all but certain that they will make at least one change in a bid to draw level the series 1-1 at Melbourne on Friday.

India’s Predicted Playing XI for 2nd T20I vs Australia

1) Top-order – Although the opening pair of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan didn’t click today, it is a department India would be least worried about. Given the individual form which Dhawan is in in T20Is this year, the team management would be rest assured about a solid partnership at the top of the order.

There was a lot of apprehension before the match regarding who would play at No. 3 for India. Apparently, those doubts still remain as India sending in Lokesh Rahul ahead of Virat Kohli was criticized by a plethora of fans today. Assuming Kohli bats at No. 3, Rahul will have to adjust himself at No. 4, a position at which he failed in ODIs.

2) Middle-order – While Rahul and wicket-keeper batsman Rishabh Pant’s form will entice a lot of eyeballs, the Indian team would be contended with the cushion available for them in the middle-order in the form of Dinesh Karthik.

In the 11 T20Is that Karthik has batted while chasing, he has scored runs at an average of 67 and a strike rate of 143.57. The temperament and skill which he displays in pressure situations during the slog overs is just what India requires from their No. 6 batsman.

Only part of the T20I squad, Karthik would be looking to play in the upcoming matches in the same way that he played today in a bid to get recognition in the ODI side.

3) Bowlers – While Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Jasprit Bumrah and Kuldeep Yadav excelled in their job today, Khaleel Ahmed and Krunal Pandya gave runs at an economy rate of 14 and 13.75 respectively.

With Pandya conceding 55 runs in his quota of four overs, there are high chances of Yuzvendra Chahal returning back to the squad in the next match, something which legendary Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar also laid emphasis on.

While it will lessen India’s powers in the batting division, it will increase them by a much larger margin in the bowling division. Moreover, if the first six batsmen can’t change the game in a 20-over contest, the seventh one might not be able to do it either.

With Australia’s Adam Zampa (4-0-22-2) being adjourned as the ‘Man of the Match’ and Yadav registering figures of 4-0-24-2, one can make out that wrist-spinners are having a go in this format these days.

India’s Predicted Playing XI – 1) Rohit Sharma 2) Shikhar Dhawan 3) Virat Kohli (c) 4) Lokesh Rahul 5) Rishabh Pant 6) Dinesh Karthik 7) Bhuvneshwar Kumar 8) Kuldeep Yadav 9) Jasprit Bumrah 10) Khaleel Ahmed 11) Yuzvendra Chahal

Read some of the latest Twitter reactions on the first T20I below: