Australia had a rough start to the year in the T20 format with India achieving a 3-0 whitewash Down Under that set the visitors on an impressive run of form, so much so that the 2016 ICC World T20 hosts are now seen as the outright favourites for the tournament.
Also read: India vs South Africa ICC World T20 2016 warmup match schedule: Fixture, date, time and venue
Australia suffered a further setback after they lost the opening T20 match against South Africa last week but just when people were starting to write off their chances, the reigning ODI World champions came back roaring to prove their might. They might not have the world beaters of yesteryears but they surely boast immensely talented cricketers who can take the game away from the opposition on their own.
The latest ICC T20 rankings see Australia rank a lowly fifth with their Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand, as well as West Indies, placed above them. But the team from Down Under have shown time and again what a force they are, especially when it comes to the big tournaments and with Steven Smith leading them from the front, it would be foolish to count them out as title contenders.
Batting looks sorted
The explosive batting might of the Aussies was well and truly on display against the Proteas having chased down scores of 204 and 178 in the last two matches to win the series 2-1. They have a problem of plenty as far as the opening department is concerned with the likes of David Warner, Aaron Finch, Usman Khawaja and Shane Watson all vying for a top-two spot.
Warner showed he can do the job lower down the order as well coming in at No 4 in the series against South Africa and walking away with the Man-of-the-Series award. Watson seemed to have found his touch again and with all-rounders like Glenn Maxwell, James Faulkner and Mitchell Marsh in their ranks, they surely have the potential to post big scores in the smaller grounds in India.
The inclusion of Test specialist Peter Nevill as the wicketkeeper did raise some eyebrows, but as national selector Rodney Marsh said, the fact that Nevill’s superior work behind the stumps, when compared to his rival Matthew Wade, was the primary reason behind the move, especially considering the fact that conditions could prove tricky on the slow Indian pitches.
Issues in bowling department
Mitchell Starc’s injury-enforced omission and Mitchell Johnson’s shock retirement last year has made vulnerable against strong batting sides, as was seen in the series against India. The batting friendly wickets in India could hamper their potential even further, as they lack a quality spinner who can prove the difference in big matches.
The likes of Watson, Faulkner, Warner, Maxwell and Smith himself have plenty of experience playing in India with them being household names thanks to the IPL. Paired with former champions India and Pakistan as well as rivals New Zealand in a strong group B, Australia’s quest for the only major ICC trophy to have eluded them will mainly depend on how well their inexperienced and young bowlers are able to handle the conditions in India.
AUSTRALIA'S WORLD T20 SQUAD: Steve Smith (c), David Warner, Ashton Agar, Nathan Coulter-Nile, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, John Hastings, Josh Hazlewood, Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Peter Nevill, Andrew Tye, Shane Watson, Adam Zampa
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