Raipur, November 6 — With the five-match T20I series evenly poised at 1-1, Team India aims to gain momentum when they confront a depleted Australian side in the fourth T20 International here on Thursday. All eyes will focus on vice-captain Shubman Gill, who strives to regain his form after facing a series of low scores on this tour.
Australia enters this match missing key players Josh Hazlewood and Travis Head, making them appear more vulnerable as they seek to maintain their competitive edge. Head has returned home to play in the Sheffield Shield, preparing for the upcoming Ashes series, while Hazlewood’s absence was palpable in their last match, where Australia failed to defend a target of 186.
This encounter offers India a perfect chance to take a 2-1 lead before the concluding match at the Gabba. In the previous match, India showcased a balanced team composition, featuring an all-rounder positioned at No. 8, providing depth in both batting and bowling.
However, Shubman Gill’s current form raises eyebrows. The stylish right-hander has gone six innings without scoring a half-century, with disappointing scores of 10, 9, 24, 37*, 5, and 15. Although he displayed moments of brilliance during a partnership with captain Suryakumar Yadav in Canberra, he has struggled against fuller deliveries moving away.
In contrast, opener Abhishek Sharma continues to shine, confirming his position as the world’s No. 1 T20 batter. He delivered a brilliant half-century in the previous game alongside two swift starts that boosted India’s batting order.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav also showed outstanding form during the first and third matches. He will look to convert his promising starts into a monumental innings as the team prepares for a month-long break before their series against South Africa.
Match starts at 1:45 PM IST.
Teams:
India: Suryakumar Yadav (C), Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (VC), Tilak Varma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah, Arshdeep Singh, Harshit Rana, Sanju Samson (WK), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar.
Australia: Mitchell Marsh (C), Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (WK), Josh Phillippe (WK), Mitchell Owen, Glenn Maxwell, Matt Kuhnemann, Adam Zampa, Mahli Beardman, Ben Dwarshuis, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Marcus Stoinis.