India vs Australia 2019: India's Predicted Playing XI for 1st T20I

Middle-order

Virat Kohli (L) and MS Dhoni

#3 Virat Kohli

The Indian skipper Virat Kohli is returning from a break as he was rested for the last couple of ODIs and the T20I series in New Zealand. He has looked in sublime form lately, to say the least.

In his last five ODI innings, he’s gone past the 40-run mark in every innings. Moreover, the last time he played a T20I for India back in November, his unbeaten 61 led the team to a series-levelling win.

#4 Rishabh Pant

Rishabh Pant has been a part of the Indian T20 side for a while now. However, he hasn’t really set the stage on fire in the shortest format.

Pant was good in parts in New Zealand. In the second T20I his unbeaten 40 helped India polish off the chase, while he played a short cameo in the final one before he threw it away.

Hence, Pant is likely to get a few more opportunities in this middle-order. He will want to impress the selectors and inch closer to a World Cup berth.

#5 MS Dhoni

MS Dhoni was not a part of the T20I side for two back-to-back series back in November. But he returned to the shortest format in New Zealand.

The former skipper registered scores of 39, 20 not out and 2 in that series as India lost 1-2. Thus, Dhoni will be looking to utilize these last few international games before the World Cup.

#6 Dinesh Karthik

Dinesh Karthik has been in really good form in the shortest format and has become the finisher for the ‘Men in Blue’. In 2018, he remained unbeaten in 8 innings (out of the 11 he played) as he scored 181 runs at a strike-rate of 152.10.

Karthik will be looking to make a mark in this series after getting dropped from the 50-over side.