AUS vs IND T20Is Preview | India keen to emulate Asia Cup success Down Under as T20 World Cup looms large

‌After a 2-1 loss in the ODI leg, India’s T20I team will take the field against Australia for the opening game of the five-match duel at Manuka Oval in Canberra on Wednesday. The Men in Blue walk into the contest on the back of their successful campaign in the Asia Cup T20 2025, where they remained unbeaten in seven matches last month.

Meanwhile, the Aussies will also have momentum behind them after a splendid showing against Trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand, with a 2-0 win in the three-match T20I series earlier this month. It will be an interesting duel between the top-ranked teams in T20 cricket as they get ready for the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka early next year.

The Indian bowling lineup will be bolstered by the return of Jasprit Bumrah, who was rested for the ODI series, with Varun Chakravarthy also joining the T20 team after featuring in the continental event. Bumrah leads the wickets tally in head-to-head appearances between both sides in T20s with 17 scalps in 14 games, while Axar Patel is second with 15 wickets in nine games. Meanwhile, Nathan Ellis has seven wickets from five games against India, the most by any player in the current Aussie squad.

It will be interesting to see the no-holds-barred approach of the top order against the new ball, with aggressive batters lined up on both sides. Abhishek Sharma, who finished as the top run-getter in the Asia Cup with 314 runs at an average of 44.85 and an astonishing strike rate of 200.00, would be itching to replicate his success in challenging conditions.

On the other hand, the home side’s skipper Mitchell Marsh would also have his confidence sky high after amassing 197 runs, including a century and a fifty, at an impressive average of 197.00 and a strike rate of 191.26.

Form Guide

AUS Form: L W W NR W 

IND Form: W W W W W

AUS vs IND head-to-head in T20Is

India clearly dominate this fixture with a total of 20 wins in 32 matches, with the hosts being victorious on 11 occasions and one game ending without a result. The record tilts towards the visitors even further in the last five matches, with the Men in Blue recording four wins to Australia’s one.

AUS 11 - 20 IND

Pitch and Conditions

The surface at Canberra is expected to be full of pace and bounce, with the faster bowlers expected to call the shots throughout the contest. The new ball is expected to seam around, but the batters will have ample scoring opportunities with the ball nicely coming onto the bat.

It will be a cold and cloudy night in Canberra with temperatures expected to be around eight degrees. The fans can hope to enjoy uninterrupted action with only 25% chances of rain during the game. 

Team News

With Hardik Pandya not in the squad, Shivam Dube is expected to start ahead of Nitish Kumar Reddy, while Varun Chakravarthy might edge Kuldeep Yadav in the starting eleven. Meanwhile, Glenn Maxwell is expected to walk into the side after returning from injury, with Tim David and Marcus Stoinis also expected to feature in the T20 setup.

AUS Expected XI

Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Matthew Short, Tim David, Josh Inglis (wk), Glenn Maxwell, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Nathan Ellis, Xavier Bartlett, Josh Hazlewood.

IND Expected XI

Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Washington Sundar, Axar Patel, Arshdeep Singh, Jasprit Bumrah, Varun Chakravarthy. 

Broadcasting Platforms 

The AUS vs IND first T20I match will be digitally streamed on the Jio Hotstar app and website in India from 1:45 PM IST on Wednesday, with live telecast on the Star Sports Network.