Will Virat Kohli and his charges bounce back after a somewhat surprising defeat in the opening T20?
India outscored Australia in the first T20I, but the Duckworth-Lewis method gave the home side a four-run victory at the Gabba.
The tourists were guilty of just failing to get over the line after controlling most of their chase.
Australia v India | Friday 23 November | The Melbourne Cricket Ground | 09:50
To Win Match
Australia 21/20
Tie 35/1
India 82/100
Australia
Australia have been battered in white-ball cricket of late, but the victory in the opening match against India will give the team renewed confidence.
There were ominous signs that Glenn Maxwell and Chris Lynn might be returning to form, while Marcus Stoinis also did a great job before rain halted his late charge.
The openers are still a matter of some concern, with D’arcy Short and skipper Aaron Finch struggling to find runs as a partnership or as individuals. Finch had been in good touch in England, but the runs have dried up after he was made captain.
With the ball, Adam Zampa was the standout performer- and his two for 22 in four overs earned him the Man of the Match award. He was the only Australia bowler to concede less than nine runs to the over. Australia’s bowlers will have to perform better as a unit to overcome the potent India batsmen.
India
India will feel a little aggrieved that their effort, which exceeded Australia’s by 11 runs, fell four runs short of the revised DLS target. Shikhar Dhawan’s electric start to the innings seemed to have them on course for victory, but another middle-order collapse left the men in blue short.
Dhawan and Rohit Sharma will pose a big threat to the Australia bowlers – and both are capable of wholesale destruction on their day.
Virat Kohli didn’t fire on his return to the team, but you wouldn’t want to write off the Indian skipper, who has been in incredible form this year.
Khaleel Ahmed and Krunal Pandya were the weak links in an India bowling attack that otherwise performed very well. In seven overs the pair conceded 97 runs, while the other 10 went for just 61.
Verdict: India 82/100
Australia aren’t out of the woods just yet – and Ravi Shastri and Kohli will demand a response from their team.
