On Sunday, while India was toying with Australian spinners in the dying overs of a T20I in Trivandrum, the average Indian cricket fan was doing something different. A surprise IPL deal was in the works, drawing attention away from the actual cricket action while, paradoxically, some IPL regulars demonstrated their ready for a permanent move up.
If you’re a fan of Indian cricket, this has been an exciting week. A World Cup trophy that was poised to become India’s third in the 50-over format instead became Australia’s sixth. A cynic could assume that the big, juicy IPL development is a distraction from the national team’s trip up on the big day, but the international cricket that has unfolded since that fateful Sunday – in Trivandrum and Vizag – is everything but.
There isn’t much time for India – or any other country other than Australia – to reflect on their World Cup performance because another one is coming up in less than seven months. Tuesday’s encounter will be India’s third of 11 in the run-up to the T20 World Cup in the United States and the West Indies in June.
Australia may still be buzzing from their World Cup victory, but next year’s competition is as important to them. They broke their World Cup drought in this format in 2021, but failed to make the semi-finals the following year. The 2024 event is thus another opportunity to fill this portion of their trophy cabinet, which appears to be fairly barren in compared to the others. However, the start to that quest has been rocky, with two defeats in two while both setting a goal and chasing. They’ve just gradually reintroduced a couple of their World Cup regulars, while others like Warner, Cummins, Starc, Cameron Green, and Mitchell Marsh have taken a well-deserved break.
They were still competitive enough to take a powerful Indian team deep in one of the two games, and will be hungry to push this series over Tuesday’s third game. India, who are also missing a few key players, must be salivating at the prospect of an early series sweep.
When: Tuesday, November 28, 2023, 7:00 p.m. local time, India vs. Australia, 3rd T20I
Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium
What to anticipate: A humid evening is forecast. In terms of conditions, there is less certainty because the two previous T20Is at the location were played in stark contrast. In 2017, India suffered a low-scoring defeat as they were bowled out for 118 while batting first against Australia. In 2022, they amassed 237 against South Africa, which the visitors nearly chased down thanks to David Miller’s 47-ball 106*.
Team Updates
India
In their bid to wrap up the five-match series early, the hosts went unaltered in Trivandrum and are expected to do so again in Guwahati. Opportunities may then arise in the final few games.
Ruturaj Gaikwad, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ishan Kishan (w), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Rinku Singh, Axar Patel, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Mukesh Kumar, Prasidh Krishna are among the probable XI.
Australia
Jason Behrendorff could return if pacers perform better at this venue. When Australia last played here in 2017, he concluded with 4 for 21 to set up the visitors’ huge win.
Matthew Short, Steven Smith, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Matthew Wade (w/c), Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Jason Behrendorff/Tanveer Sangha are among the probable XI.
Did you know that?
– Rinku Singh’s lethal form is nothing new. He showcased his big-hitting muscles at the domestic level before his 22 (14) and 31* (9), smashing 256 runs in 7 innings at a strike rate of 170.66 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.
– Adam Zampa had 12 wickets in 14 T20Is against India prior to this series. In the Trivandrum match, the Indian hitters managed to keep him wicketless.
What they had to say:
“When I saw Rinku come in to bat [in the first T20I], his poise was superb.” It made me think of someone (laughs). Everyone knows the answer (laughs once more).” Suryakumar Yadav discusses Rinku Singh’s finishing accomplishments.
