IND v AUS 2020: Indian T20 squad for tour of Australia

After losing the ODI series 1-2, India will lock horns with Australia in the 3-match T20I series starting on Friday (December 4) at the Manuka Oval in Canberra. All three matches will be played in the span of 5 days, with the final game scheduled for Tuesday (December 8).

India will go into the first T20I as slight favourites, because they have momentum on their side after winning the third and final ODI at the same venue. Moreover, all the talk around the lack of a sixth bowling option will be put to bed by the addition of Washington Sundar.

India now have the luxury of including all three all-rounders – Hardik Pandya (if he is fit enough to bowl), Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar – in their playing XI.

Meanwhile, the thinktank has a lot to ponder over when it comes to the opening combination. Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, KL Rahul and Sanju Samson all know how to make the most of powerplay overs. Once the opening conundrum is set, captain Virat Kohli and Shreyas Iyer are expected to occupy the No. 3 and No. 4 slots, followed by the all-rounder trio.

India’s bowling department too looks in good shape for the shortest format. T Natarajan (2 for 70) did have an eventful international debut on Wednesday, which started with the dismissal of Marnus Labuschagne and ended with sending back Ashton Agar to put the final nail in the Aussie coffin.

T20 cricket is what the left-arm speedster is bred on, and he will be a definite force to reckon with. Apart from the triumvirate of Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami and Navdeep Saini, India can avail of the services of Deepak Chahar, who owns the best-ever figures of 6 for 7 in T20I history.

Notably, what augurs well for the visitors is that the Rajasthan lad averages 18.20 with the bat in first-class cricket. Leggie Yuzvendra Chahal is the lone frontline spinner in India’s T20 squad to face Australia.

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Complete squad list for India v Australia T20 series

India T20 squad: Virat Kohli (c), Shikhar Dhawan, Mayank Agarwal, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey, Hardik Pandya, Washington Sundar, Ravindra Jadeja, KL Rahul (wk), Sanju Samson (wk), Yuzvendra Chahal, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, Navdeep Saini, Deepak Chahar, T Natarajan

Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Steve Smith, D’Arcy Short, Moises Henriques, Marnus Labuschagne, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Ashton Agar, Cameron Green, Daniel Sams, Alex Carey (wk), Matthew Wade (wk), Sean Abbott, Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Starc, Adam Zampa, Andrew Tye

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