Australia vs India 2018-19: 5 players for whom the T20I series is important

The Indian team will visit Australia to play three T20 Internationals, four Tests and three ODIs. India tour of Australia begins on November 21 with the three-match T20I series at Brisbane. Virat Kohli-led India has a great chance to dominate the Aussies in the absence of Steve Smith and David Warner.

The Indian team has been in phenomenal form in the limited-overs format, especially in the shortest format of the game. In 2018, the Indian team has won the T20I series against South Africa, Ireland, England, and the latest victim was West Indies.

On the other hand, Australia is struggling to win the games against big teams without Steve Smith and David Warner. They destroyed New Zealand and England in the Trans-Tasman Twenty20 Tri-Series earlier in 2018 but they failed to replicate the same performance against England and Pakistan. Aaron Finch-led Australian team have recently lost the three-match T20I series against Pakistan by the margin of 0-3.

While the upcoming T20I series is important for both the team, it is equally important for a few players who should perform well to secure their places in the squad. In our article, we take a look at five players who need to grab the opportunities they get in the three-match T20I series between India and Australia.

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#5 Nathan Coulter-Nile

Nathan Coulter-Nile

The forthcoming three-match T20I series between India and Australia is important for the Australian pacer, Nathan Coulter-Nile. He could deliver the ball at a very high speed and also has a lot of variations. He made his T20I debut for his country in 2013 but he has been in and out of the team due to injuries.

With the likes of Mitchell Starc, Mitchell Johnson and Josh Hazlewood in the squad, it was tough for him to break into the team. However, he could feature in the playing XI due to the rotation policy. But, the right-arm pacer has failed to grab those chances. Nathan Coulter-Nile, who could hit big sixes as a lower-order batsman, should trouble the Indian batsmen to secure his place in Australia's T20I squad.

#4 Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik has been in great touch in the limited-overs format. In 2018, he has won a couple of games for India. So far, he has scored a decent run but failed to convert in to big. He needs to grab his chances that he gets in the T20I series against Australia to cement his place in the playing XI. The T20I series against Australia is a great chance for him to secure his place in both T20I and ODI side.

Karthik is currently serving as a wicket-keeper batsman in T20Is in the absence of Dhoni. But, if he fails to prove his worth as a batsman, the chances of Karthik losing his place to Rishabh Pant is very high. With KL Rahul, Pandey and Pant also competing for middle-order positions in the T20I side, Dinesh Karthik needs to showcase his batting skills in Australia conditions.

#3 KL Rahul

KL Rahul

KL Rahul is one of the few players who can perform with the bat in all formats of the game. He had a great Indian Premier League (IPL) season with Kings XI Punjab in 2018. Since then, he looks in a great shape and will look to cement his place in the T20I side.

In the presence of Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan, the chances of Rahul opening the innings for India in T20Is is too slim. In 2018, batting at number four, Rahul managed to score a century and couple of the fifties in T20Is. So, he is likely to continue to play at number four in T20 Internationals.

There is a lot of competition for the number four spot in T20Is. Therefore, Rahul needs to score big in the three-match T20I series against Australia to secure his place in the T20I side. He should not make the mistake of taking Aussie bowlers lightly.

#2 Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell

Glenn Maxwell is arguably one of the destructive batsmen Australia have ever produced in the history of cricket. He could hit the sixes with the ease and also an athletic fielder. He is a kind of player who can change the course of the game in the span of a few deliveries. However, his recent form in the limited-overs cricket has dipped out.

So far in 2018, he has scored 424 runs in 15 games that he played at an average of 42 and at a massive strike-rate of 150. He could score just 2 fifties (one against Zimbabwe and one against Pakistan) in his last 12 T20I innings. He should make a mark in the T20I series against India to secure his place.

He is facing a lot of criticisms for his recent form in the limited-overs format. The T20I series against India is a chance for him to not only justify his spot but also cement his place in the ODI team ahead of the 2019 World Cup.

#1 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant made his T20 International debut for India against England in 2017. He had an excellent IPL season in 2018 as he scored 394 runs in 14 games at a phenomenal strike-rate of 173.60. Pant, who had smashed the bowlers in IPL 2018, smashed an unbeaten 128 off just 63 deliveries against Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He is one of the few batsmen who could be an asset to any T20 side. He was a part of India's T20I squad against England but he could not get an opportunity to don the Indian jersey. But, he could play all three games against West Indies in the absence of the former Indian skipper, MS Dhoni.

Pant has failed in the first two T20Is and faced a lot of criticism. However, he made a strong comeback in the third T20I and smashed 58 off 35 while chasing the huge total against the same opposition. But, he needs to show good performances with the bat in the upcoming T20I series against Australia to cement his place in India's T20I squad.