IND v AUS 2020, 1st T20I: Australia's predicted playing XI

Australia enter the T20I series high on confidence after a commanding display in the ODI series.
Australia enter the T20I series high on confidence after a commanding display in the ODI series.

At 275 rating points, Australia are breathing down England's neck in the ICC T20I Team Rankings. This series against India presents the Kangaroos with a welcome opportunity to establish themselves at the top of the charts.

Going by their dominant performance in the ODI series, Australia would start as favourites. But it may not be straightforward, as India are likely to put forth a team laden with decorated IPL stars who impressed very recently. Combine that with the absence of Pat Cummins, who has been rested, and David Warner - out injured - and it looks a little more difficult for the Men in Yellow.

With one eye on the Test series coming up after this, Australia would be keen to play their limited-overs specialists who missed out on the ODI leg of the series. Australia will also sweat on Marcus Stoinis' fitness, as the burly all-rounder is a vital cog in their T20I setup and was in fantastic form in the IPL for the Delhi Capitals as well.

Part of the same IPL team was Alex Carey, who struggled to impress in the IPL and couldn't quite finish the game off in the 3rd ODI. He will want to prove his value to the team.

Here is Australia's predicted playing XI for the first T20I against India.


Openers: Aaron Finch (c), Matthew Wade

Matthew Wade may get a look-in for the T20Is against India.
Matthew Wade may get a look-in for the T20Is against India.

In the absence of David Warner, who would have been one of the first names on the team sheet, Matthew Wade seems the best like-for-like replacement. His domestic record and reinvention via the BBL seems like his biggest shout. But his recent form for Australia, including in the practice games, has not been the most impressive.

Australia's other option to partner skipper Aaron Finch at the top would be Marcus Stoinis, who has been an effective T20 opener for a while now. His show in the IPL did prove his versatility both at the top and in the middle order, and this could be a call taken on Stoinis' fitness.

The other factor here is that Wade is unlikely to be best utilised in the middle order, thus the openers for Australia are most likely to be Finch and Wade while Stoinis bats lower down.


Middle order: Steve Smith, Alex Carey (wk)

Steve Smith should resume from where he left off in the ODI series against India.
Steve Smith should resume from where he left off in the ODI series against India.

The fixture for Australia in all formats, Steve Smith should reprise his familiar role at No. 3. Incidentally, he was the top scorer in the last game played at this venue, which should give him confidence - if he needed any more, following a Man of the Series win against India.

The biggest question in Australian circles would be that of Marnus Labuschagne, who is seen by many people as Steve Smith's understudy since he seamlessly replaced the latter as a concussion substitute in the 2019 Ashes. His sparkling returns in the longer formats could inspire a bold selection call. What goes against him, however, is a lacklustre BBL record, with not much in terms of T20 pedigree behind him.

The safer option therefore is to persist with both Alex Carey and Matthew Wade, with the latter playing as a specialist batsman. Carey has made his name as a middle order batsman for Australia over time, even if he does open the innings in the BBL for the Adelaide Strikers.

With recent form not quite behind Carey, the keeper-batsman will look to make amends. In terms of batting order, he is quite likely to bat after some of the more explosive all-rounders in the side.


All-rounders: Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar

Coming off a breathtaking ODI series performance, Maxwell is the player to watch for.
Coming off a breathtaking ODI series performance, Maxwell is the player to watch for.

Glenn Maxwell should stride into the T20 series high on confidence after striking at close to 200 over the course of the preceding ODI series.

In doing that, he shrugged off his tragic IPL 2020 form, with the contrast providing much chagrin to his IPL skipper KL Rahul who watched from behind the stumps. With the ball, he was economical, as he mostly bowled in periods where the Indian were inevitably rebuilding after the fall of quick wickets.

One of the highest valued T20 all-rounders going around, Marcus Stoinis should walk into the team and is likely to bat above Maxwell (he might even open given his success in the BBL).

If Stoinis is unfit, Australia could look towards Moises Henriques, who is a like-for-like but less threatening proposition, to fill the No. 4 slot like he did in the ODI series. Australia would also want some overs of pace from their fourth seamer depending on the way India negotiates their first line of attack.

The third all-round cog for Australia in the lineup is most likely to be Ashton Agar. A proficient left-arm spinner who can also score quick runs at the death if needed, Agar showed his worth in the final ODI, where he was the pick of the Australian bowlers. The game was also alive till his departure during Australia's chase.


Bowlers: Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Josh Hazlewood, Andrew Tye

Aussie quick Hazlewood would look to dent the opposition in the powerplay.
Aussie quick Hazlewood would look to dent the opposition in the powerplay.

Mitchell Starc will look to spearhead the Australian bowling, as one of the most accomplished bowlers in this format. He will first look to fix his radar, which saw him emerge as the hosts' most expensive bowler over the first two ODIs against India.

Adam Zampa, who troubled the Indians right through the ODI series, will continue to shoulder responsibilities as the lead spinner. Australia boast a three-pronged spin attack, with Maxwell and Agar to provide finger-spin support to Zampa's wrist-spin. Alongside Zampa, the accurate and consistent Josh Hazlewood should slot right in as the second pacer for Australia.

The biggest headache for the hosts would be the third seamer's spot. While they have options galore - Sean Abbott, Andrew Tye and Daniel Sams - Abbott was negotiated comfortably by the Indians as recently as the third ODI, while Sams and Tye had limited (or no) impact in the recent IPL season.

Given Tye's past record, for Australia as well as in the IPL, he may just edge out his competition, although his spot looks the most vulnerable.

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Edited by Sai Krishna