Mistakes India need to correct to win the 2nd T20I against Australia

Team India started their much-anticipated Australia tour with a narrow 4-run defeat in the Brisbane T20I. Shikhar Dhawan's scintillating 76 was not enough to see India through in a nervous run-chase. It clearly shows that a team like Australia, even though at their worst, are still competitive side in their own backyard.

It is time for team India to go back to the drawing board with the series at stake. The second T20I at Melbourne on Friday, November 23 is expected to be another cliffhanger. Both teams have everything to play for.

The men in blue got their tactics wrong in the first T20I which cost them the game. They need to review their strategies and come back with a bang. One of the things that India will be looking to do is get their combination right which is the key to success in T20I cricket.

Here are the two tactical corrections India need to make in order to open their account on the Australia tour in the second T20.

#2 Bowl yorkers - When in doubt, shatter the stumps out!

Maxwell and Lynn took advantage of the length bowled at him

The Indian bowlers were guilty of bowling too many length balls in the first T20I against Australia at Brisbane. When Chris Lynn and Maxwell were hitting a streak of sixes, the Indian bowlers, K Khaleel Ahmed and Krunal Pandya kept bowling the same length giving the ball in batsman's arc.

When there is carnage, the best thing to do as a bowler is to try and bowl yorkers at the base of stumps to prevent the batsman from getting underneath the ball. Although some bowlers do not back themselves to bowl yorkers, sometimes it is the only choice they are left with since bowling any other length is suicidal.

#1 Pick Chahal instead of Krunal Pandya

Yuzvendra Chahal and Kuldeep Yadav

This was a monumental blunder. Kuldeep and Chahal have formed a terrific bowling partnership since 2017 and have been responsible for many of India's victories in the last 12 months. Surprisingly, the duo was separated in the first game of an important tour

Chahal's inclusion gives India a competitive edge as the Australians are weak against quality spin bowling as we have seen over the years. They will be prevented from going for slogs over mid-wicket which is their strength when Chahal is bowling as there is always the risk of hitting against the turn.

Also, if your top 6 batsmen cannot last 20 overs, then you don't expect No.7 and 8 to do the job with the bat. Hence, an all-rounder at No.7 is really not the need of the hour for team India. Chahal's inclusion in the playing XI is a risk worth taking.