India vs Australia: Top 5 player battles for T20I series

After a historic tour of Australia where India won a Test and bilateral ODI series for the first time in their history, India will host the team from Down Under in two T20Is and a five-match ODI series beginning 24 February.

Hindustan Times takes a look at five player battles that could set the tone for the series:

Virat Kohli vs Pat Cummins

The Indian skipper is back in the side after sitting out the latter stages of the New Zealand tour on account of workload management. Kohli will be expected to continue scoring with the same consistency that has defined his batting in recent years but he will have a formidable opponent in Cummins. The visiting Indian team recorded a historic bilateral ODI series win Down Under but their task was made easier as the frontline Australian attack was rested. A well rested Cummins, in particular, will relish the challenge of bowling to the Indian batsmen on unforgiving pitches.

Aaron Finch vs Jasprit Bumrah

The Australian team were beset by their poor form of their misfiring skipper during their recent series against India. And Finch will look to set the record straight in the two T20Is in India. However, he will first have to cope with the fiery quick bowling of India’s pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. The Gujarat bowler wreaked havoc in Australian conditions and will look to bowl with same venom after being rested for the New Zealand tour.

Glenn Maxwell vs Yuzvendra Chahal

Maxwell is one of the most dangerous batsmen in the world in shorter formats of the game. But his inconsistency is a major cause of concern for the Australian management. He has often hauled out at deep mid-wicket against the spinners and Chahal will look to exploit the same chink in Maxwell’s armour. However, if Maxwell connects well chances are he will be clearing the ropes with relative ease.

Rohit Sharma vs Jason Behrendorff

The Indian opener has had his issues against left-arm pacers in the past. He doesn’t quite play them with the same abandon that he does other bowlers and Behrendorff will be eager to test Sharma with his pace and the ability to bring the ball into the right-handers. Sharma has scored runs on all kinds of pitches and he will be more than up to  Behrendorff’s challenge at home. The Australian pacer can be unplayable on his day, however, as he proved in only his second T20I, against India in October 2017.

Ravindra Jadeja vs Marcus Stoinis

Australian legend Matthew Hayden recently lavished praise on his compatriot Stoinis, and declared him to be better than his Indian rival Hardik Pandya. “Stoinis has adopted a wider approach to his game which is winning matches for his country. Hardik Pandya also has the same responsibility, but I think right now Stoinis is a better player”, Hayden said. Pandya will miss the chance to prove the legendary Aussie wrong but his replacement, Jadeja, will have his task cut out.

First Published: Feb 21, 2019 18:02 IST