The electrifying five-match T20I series marches on to Raipur on Friday, November 1. With hosts leading 2-1, anticipation surges. Both teams gear up for another edge-of-the-seat showdown.
India stormed into the series with two consecutive victories, asserting their dominance early on. The tables turned in Guwahati, with Glenn Maxwell’s remarkable innings steering Australia to a stunning win.
Throughout the series, Australia’s bowling unit has grappled with the onslaught of India’s young talents. The Indian batting line-up has dismantled the Aussies’ bowling attack, setting the stage for high-scoring encounters. Despite Australia’s struggles, Maxwell’s exceptional performance in the previous match salvaged their fortunes, preventing another defeat.
The trend of high-scoring clashes will continue in Raipur, where expectations loom for another thrill. India’s victory seals the series, while an Australian win would intensify things, setting the stage for a nail-biting finale in Bengaluru.
Speculations abound on potential changes in both teams’ line-ups. India’s management might contemplate benching Prasidh Krishna. He has faced challenges in containing runs across all games. Australia might also explore alterations to counter India’s aggressive approach.
The clash in Raipur is very significant. It will shape the trajectory of the series and the teams’ dynamics. As the squads prepare to take the field, all eyes will be on their tactics and performance.
Probable Playing XI
India:
Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Ishan Kishan (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Rinku Singh, Tilak Varma, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Avesh Khan, Prasidh Krishna.
Australia:
Travis Head, Aaron Hardie, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (c & wk), Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff, Tanveer Sangha, Kane Richardson.
Key Players
Yashasvi Jaiswal: The youngster has been in sensational batting form since last year. He has amassed 312 runs in 11 T20Is so far, including a century and two fifties.
Glenn Maxwell: He is Australia’s key player in this series. The experience he brings to the table plays a big role. Maxwell has confidence as he scored a match-winning century in the last game.
Match Prediction
Australia may have won the last game but that was due to a single-handed effort by Maxwell. India are the more balanced side and the conditions are also familiar for them. So, they are slight favourites to win this game.
