'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
With the T20I series now decided in favour of the Indian cricket team, all eyes will be tempted to shift towards the upcoming Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The last two Test series between India and Australia have been extremely closely contested, with the former prevailing 2-1 on both occasions.
However, the two sides will first face off in the third and final T20I the Sydney Cricket Ground on Tuesday. Despite the relative irrelevance of the final T20I, a closer look reveals a lot of chinks in both sides' armoury that they would look to fix, with the T20 World Cup 2021 in their sights.
The move back to Sydney handed the visitors some harsh questions despite the game ending in victory. Deepak Chahar and Washington Sundar, hitherto premier powerplay options, leaked runs against the Australian stand-in openers. Yuzvendra Chahal's shining come-out-of-nowhere gig in the first T20I seemed like a flash in the pan, as he had another poor outing with the ball.
India's batting order, too, looks unsettled, with the Sanju Samson question throwing a spanner in the works. Manish Pandey struggled in his lone outing in the series, and his injury replacement Shreyas Iyer impressed in the 2nd T20I. The team would look to reduce their overreliance on Hardik Pandya's finishing acts at the death, especially with Ravindra Jadeja now ruled out.
With most Test regulars expected to play the warm-up game against Australia A, most of the team picks itself. Here is India's predicted playing XI for the third T20I against Australia.
Openers: KL Rahul (wk) and Shikhar Dhawan
The Indian openers have looked convincing in this series, with Rahul cracking a fifty in the first game and Dhawan reaching the milestone in the second. The two have looked solid in the absence of Rohit Sharma, and are quite likely to be persisted with in the final game.
The only potential change in this department could be a choice to play KL Rahul in the warm-up game, if India are looking at him as an opener for the first Test. In that case, Sanju Samson could open, and the rest of the middle order could wear a familiar look. India may also be tempted to give Rahul a rest with the gloves and allow Samson to show his worth behind the stumps.
Middle order: Virat Kohli (c), Sanju Samson, Shreyas Iyer
Virat Kohli may look to get another T20 game in, and get another shot at registering a big score this series, by playing the final T20I against Australia. India's star batsman and all-format skipper has looked in good touch, and should walk into the Test series full of confidence.
Manish Pandey did little to suggest he is what India needs in the middle order in the first T20I, and it will be a left-field move if India play him. Sanju Samson showed the ability to punish errors in line and length in his two brief innings this series, and will most likely be persisted with at one of No. 4 and No. 5.
Shreyas Iyer struck a 111-metre six as one of the highlights of the second T20I, and showed an ability to finish off games if needed. He inspired more confidence than he did in the ODIs, where he was dismissed despite having ample time to get in. He may be considered as a No. 5 option to come behind the more expressive Samson in the line-up.
All-rounders: Hardik Pandya and Washington Sundar
India seem to have found a player in red-hot form in Hardik Pandya, despite the Baroda all-rounder having contributed only four overs in five games. Pandya's scintillating 42 off 22, including two sixes to seal the game, took India home from a difficult position in the previous match. Although he isn't expected to bowl, the 27-year-old will be crucial to the team's batting order at No. 5 or No. 6.
Washington Sundar, meanwhile, has some big shoes to fill as India's No. 7 in Ravindra Jadeja's absence. His bowling has not been rewarded with wickets - although Virat Kohli's dropped sitter is to blame - and in the second match, he was picked apart by Matthew Wade.
Given the lack of similar players in India's squad, Sundar will get another opportunity to impress. India may also look to give their all-rounder some more batting time.
Bowlers: Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan, Y Chahal
Shardul Thakur was expensive in his previous outing, but held his nerve and showed experience to get the wicket of Glenn Maxwell. His two outings on this tour have shown massive potential, and he may have forced India to consider him more seriously in the shorter formats of the game.
Deepak Chahar is one bowler who has some work to do to redeem himself. He has been on a downward trend since the IPL, and with little swing on offer at the SCG, Chahar could struggle once more. However, this game will be a useful test for the pacer on pitches that do not assist his bowling.
T Natarajan's debut tour has gone from strength to strength, and he was chosen to bowl India's crucial overs with the ball in both T20Is. Expect him to lead India's attack of limited-overs specialists in just his third T20I for his country.
Finally, after another expensive show, Yuzvendra Chahal may be looking for some place to hide from the wreckage. The leggie will want to back his attacking instincts and deliver a telling performance in his final game of the tour.
