India look to seal series win in final T20I against Australia
India aim to finish their Australia tour with a win in the fifth T20I at Brisbane. With a 2-1 series lead, Suryakumar Yadav, Shubman Gill, and the spin trio will be key, while Australia battles batting and bowling gaps
Brisbane: On the cusp of another overseas series win, India will look to overcome batting inconsistencies and finish their tour of Australia with authority when the two sides clash in the fifth and final T20 International here on Saturday.
With an unassailable 2-1 lead in the five-match series, India have extended their 17-year streak of not losing a T20I series against Australia. Suryakumar Yadav and Co. will aim to finish the series on a high.
The spotlight will be on Shubman Gill and captain Suryakumar Yadav’s batting, while Australia will look to counter India’s spin attack in the last T20 before next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
India showed better tactical awareness in the previous match, adjusting to the tricky Carrara pitch. Gill led the way with a promising 46, having started strongly in a 121-run partnership for the second wicket before a late collapse saw India lose four wickets for just 15 runs.
For vice-captain Gill, it has been seven innings without a fifty, and he will be eager to sign off on a high to ease concerns within team management. Suryakumar has also shown flashes of brilliance but struggled to convert starts, and will be expected to bat with more freedom.
Tilak Varma is yet to find form, scoring 0, 29, and 5 in his last three outings. Wicketkeeper-batter Jitesh Sharma, who has featured ahead of Sanju Samson in the last two games, is also under pressure to make a substantial impact.
Abhishek Sharma has lived up to his reputation as the world’s top-ranked T20 hitter, scoring a fluent half-century and providing brisk starts. India’s lower order has chipped in effectively, with Axar Patel hitting 21 off 11 balls in the previous match. The presence of all-rounders at No. 7 and No. 8 gives the team valuable depth.
In bowling, Arshdeep Singh has been outstanding, taking four wickets and forming an effective new-ball partnership with Jasprit Bumrah. The spin trio of Varun Chakaravarthy, Axar Patel, and Washington Sundar has been a major strength despite Kuldeep Yadav’s absence. Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar have contributed significantly with both bat and ball, with Dube’s 23-ball 49 turning the third T20 in India’s favour and Washington’s 3/3 in the fourth sealing the contest.
For Australia, the fourth T20 exposed their vulnerability against quality spin. Chakaravarthy, Axar, and Sundar combined to take six wickets in under 10 overs at the Carrara Oval. The Australian batting has heavily relied on skipper Mitchell Marsh, Marcus Stoinis, and Tim David, while the absence of Travis Head hurt their chances in the last game.
All-rounder Matthew Short, who has batted lower in this series, will be keen to make amends after missing an opportunity at the top in Head’s absence. Josh Hazlewood’s absence has left a gap in Australia’s bowling attack, with Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa shouldering most responsibility. Ben Dwarshuis went wicketless in the fourth T20, and the hosts may consider debuting Mahli Beardman in the final match.
Teams (from):
India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (VC), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (C), Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (WK), Josh Philippe (WK), Mitchell Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Marcus Stoinis.
Match starts at 1:45 PM (IST).
