India vs Australia 2017: India's probable XI for third T20

For the first time since June, Team India will find themselves with the pressure of potentially losing in a series: the unexpected collapse at the hands of Jason Behrendorff must have swept away any traces of complacency that Kohli and team possessed.

After India’s reality check, all eyes will be on decider at Hyderabad, against two teams who have fought neck and neck over the past decade and a half to stake claim as the limited-overs superpower of the current era.

Here’s a prediction of what India’s line-up might look like for the decider:

Rohit Sharma

The highest run-getter from either side in the ODIs that preceded the ongoing series, Sharma has failed to fire in both T20Is, racking up just 19 runs combined in Ranchi and Guwahati.

A solid contribution at the top of the order can turn out to be the key to India’s fortunes in the decider, and a substantial knock from Rohit Sharma, against an opposition he loves scoring against, could just be the way to go.

Shikhar Dhawan

While he scores runs at a fair clip in Tests and ODIs, the Dhawan on display during T20Is is an oddity. Possessing a strike-rate of just over 110, he hasn’t looked convincing in the shortest format. With pressure mounting on him, especially because of the plethora of opening options in limited-overs, a return to the venue where he has scored bountiful of runs for Sunrisers Hyderabad might work in favour of Dhawan.

Kohli will be aiming to end the Australia series in style

Virat Kohli

Kohli loves the shortest format of the game: his ability to find middle ground between aggression and smart accumulation of runs makes him an extremely difficult opponent to plan against. He was in top form against Australia last year, including the jaw-dropping knock in the World T20, but the low-scoring first two games haven’t given him an opportunity yet to prosper.

With the series at stake, one can expect Kohli to come out all guns blazing, and play a prominent role while batting, as well as a spirited captain when on the field.

Manish Pandey

His unconventional batting style gives him the freedom to become adventurous in T20Is, and that’s exactly why Pandey finds a place in India’s middle order. A swift athlete who can give the Dhonis and Kohlis competition when it comes to running between the wickets, Pandey can shift gears with ease, based on the complexion of the game.

Another interesting facet about Pandey’s batting is that he can become the ideal second-fiddle when the other batsman is on fire, giving the necessary cushion in situations like these so that the wickets column remains intact.

Pandya continues to take giant strides in international cricket

Kedar Jadhav

Being groomed for one of the finisher’s roles, Jadhav still needs to work on his temperament and match-closing abilities, for he gets dismissed at the most crucial of junctures. With KL Rahul snapping at his heels, Jadhav would hope to get more batting time to prove his abilities: one that hinge on adaptability and improvisation.

His bowling is an added bonus: one that is turning from a harmless experiment to a solid back-up choice, if one of the primary bowlers have an off-day.

MS Dhoni

A limited-over superpower despite advancing age, Dhoni still seems to be the ideal choice as wicket-keeper, despite the perennial criticism about his waning finishing skills. He failed to bail India out of trouble in the second T20I, after not getting to bat in the first one, but the lack of runs in previous games has never weighed heavily on him.

Hopefully, he gets to bat higher up, to assist his style of batting that needs some time to settle before unleashing the pyrotechnics.

Hardik Pandya

An all-rounder whose stock are rising with every passing match, Pandya has taken to the Indian team like fish to water, providing much-needed arsenal down the order to help India get quick runs when needed the most.

Possessing the unmatched ability to smack sixes at will, Pandya manages to put psychological fear in the minds of the opposition, turning the tables when least expected.

His bowling still needs improving, but the overall package he provides is slowly turning out to be indispensable for the Indian side.

Bhuvneshwar has been on song in the powerplays

Bhuvneshwar Kumar

The new and improved Bhuvi has been on fire, cranking up some serious pace with subtle movement to become a vital part of India’s team in white ball cricket. His control over the new ball helps him hit the perfect spots, often fooling the batsman into a false stroke in the powerplays.

He returns to the venue where he has bowled several match-winning spells for SRH, and would be hoping to do an encore with the India jersey on.

Kuldeep Yadav

There is still work to be done, but Kuldeep Yadav is taking giant strides in international cricket with his left-arm leg spin, earning loads of followers with every spell of his. A canny bowler who believes in outwitting the batsman with variations, Kuldeep, who by his own admission is ‘not a mystery bowler’, has been India’s X-factor in recent times.

In a decider like this, his sharply turning deliveries could remind the Australians of the first T20I, where the stumbled to the guile of the Indian spin attack, looking completely clueless.

Bumrah can prise out wickets in any stage of the game

Jasprit Bumrah

With three wickets in two games, Bumrah currently stands second in the wickets tally for the series. He didn’t have an extremely fruitful ODI series by his standards, picking five wickets in four games.

In the current series, his economy, hovering around 7, might be a bit of a concern. With the backing of the team management, expect him to breathe fire with his scorching yorkers when the time arrives.

Yuzvendra Chahal

While the world has been going ga-ga over Kuldeep Yadav and his impact on Indian cricket, Chahal has been slowly working in the background, hurling the ‘dirty’ overs to stem the flow of runs and put pressure on the opposition’s middle order.

A gutsy bowler who never shies away from tossing the ball when needed, Chahal cleverly he mixes his lines to keep the batsmen on their toes. A livewire on the field, Chahal would be looking to play a more prominent role in the decider.