3 Players India missed the most in the first T20I

2. Suresh Raina

India missed Raina's experience with the bat and his bowling skills

Suresh Raina has always been a match-winner for India in T20 matches. Raina is a player who the opposition is wary of in the shortest version of the game. His experience and record show that he is definitely a better option than KL Rahul, Manish Pandey, and Shreyas Iyer. In his last 10 T20 innings for India, Raina has scored 283 runs.

Raina is more suited at No 4 than KL Rahul or Manish Pandey. With his attacking mode of batting from ball one, Raina can sustain the momentum right through the innings. Once settled, Raina can be a dangerous finisher.

Suresh Raina could also be the missing sixth bowling option for India. At Brisbane, in the absence of a player like Raina, Kohli had to continue with both Khaleel Ahmed and Krunal Pandya despite the pounding they got at the hands of Lynn, Maxwell, and Stoinis.

Suresh Raina is a better fielder than KL Rahul, who missed an easy run-out of Maxwell, which proved costly for India. Raina is a live-wire in the field and with his fielding efforts, Raina brings a lot of energy to the team.

Four spinners on a tour of Australia is one too many. Raina could have been selected in place of Washington Sundar in the squad and in place of Rahul in the playing XI.