3 Australian players who India should be wary of in T20I series ft. Matthew Wade
India will host Australia in a five-match T20I series that starts on Thursday, November 23, just four days after the heartbreak faced by Rohit Sharma's men at the 2023 World Cup final.
As expected, there are a host of changes in both teams' squads. While all players in the Indian contingent have gotten enough screen time in the IPL, there are quite a few Australian players who haven't played a lot of cricket in India.
Matthew Wade is set to lead the side, which is bereft of senior players such as Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Josh Hazlewood, and Mitchell Marsh. Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Travis Head, and Adam Zampa are the only remnants of the lineup that faced India in the World Cup final.
With that being said, let's look at three Australian players who could cause India problems in the upcoming T20I series ft. Matthew Wade.
#1 Matthew Wade
Matthew Wade has been a regular in the late middle order of the Australian T20I side. He has scored 1018 runs in the shortest format of the game for his country, at an average of 24.82 and a strike rate of 132.03.
Wade recently mentioned that he is unsure of his place in the T20 World Cup side next year due to the emergence of Josh Inglis in limited-overs cricket. Hence, Wade will now have a great chance to stake a claim for his place in the team.
The wicketkeeper batter has a phenomenal record against India in T20Is, scoring 359 runs in 10 innings at an average of 51.28 and a strike rate of 154.74. All three of Matthew Wade's T20I half-centuries have come against the Men in Blue.
#2 Tim David
A T20 specialist, Tim David has formed a solid trio with Marcus Stoinis and the aforementioned Wade from number 5 to 7 in the Australian batting order. Having already played a bit of cricket in India courtesy of the IPL, David will be a man to watch out for.
In his fledgling T20I career for both Singapore and Australia, David has smashed 805 runs in 25 innings at a solid average of 36.59 and an impressive strike rate of 162.95. He also has a half-century against India in three encounters.
One of the most sought-after finishers in franchise cricket, David is a genuine power-hitter in the mold of Andre Russell and Kieron Pollard. The 6'5" maverick will ensure his Mumbai Indians teammate Suryakumar Yadav will have to stay on his toes as captain of India.
#3 Nathan Ellis
Nathan Ellis is another player who is known for his exploits in the shortest format of the game. He has picked up 18 wickets in eight matches for the Kangaroos, with an average of 11.88 and a strike rate of 10.
In his only match against India, he picked up three scalps, including the prized wicket of Virat Kohli. He also had an impressive performance in his only ODI against India, where his bowling figures read 2/13 in five overs.
The 29-year-old will be eager to continue his rich vein of form against India in the upcoming T20I series. The Punjab Kings man picked up 13 wickets in 10 matches in this year's IPL season, which would have been a great confidence booster for him.