3 things India need to do right to beat Australia in 2nd T20I
India will face Australia in the second T20I of their five-match series at the Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, November 26. The Indian team come into the match with a 1-0 lead, having won the opening game of the series in Vizag earlier this week.
Captain Suryakumar Yadav led the team from the front on his captaincy debut. Mr. 360 of India scored a fantastic 42-ball 80 to help the Men in Blue chase a 209-run target in 19.5 overs with two wickets to spare.
India will be keen to continue their winning momentum. Here's a list of three things that they will have to do right to ensure that they get a 2-0 lead in the five-match series.
#1 India will have to start well with the bat
India did not have the best start with the bat in the first T20I, but an extraordinary batting performance from skipper Suryakumar Yadav helped them win the match.
Vice-captain Ruturaj Gaikwad has been a consistent performer for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, but he has struggled to make an impact at the international level. He had a forgettable outing against Australia in Vizag, where he got run out without facing a single ball.
Gaikwad will aim to improve his chemistry with opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal and work on running between the wickets. If the duo of Gaikwad and Jaiswal get going, India will be the favorites to win the second T20I of the series today.
#2 Suryakumar Yadav should think of using a 6th bowling option
Suryakumar Yadav used only five bowlers in the first T20I of the series against Australia. The likes of Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh and Prasidh Krishna could not keep a check on the run flow. Notably, Bishnoi and Krishna leaked 104 runs in the eight overs they bowled in Vizag.
Perhaps, the Indian skipper can think of using a sixth bowling option to break partnerships. In the 2023 World Cup final, Australian captain Pat Cummins introduced Glenn Maxwell early into the attack to dismiss Rohit Sharma and the plan worked.
Similarly, Yadav can consider giving the ball to Yashasvi Jaiswal or Tilak Varma when a batter seems to be dominating the regular bowlers.
#3 India should field first if they win the toss against Australia
The toss will play a big role in the second match. Rain could interrupt proceedings at the Greenfield International Stadium. Also, teams batting second have been more successful than teams defending at this venue.
In three T20Is played on this ground, teams batting second have won twice. Meanwhile, in domestic T20 matches, chasing teams have won nine out of the 14 matches. Hence, if Suryakumar Yadav wins the toss, he should look to bowl first so that the Indian team have a better chance of winning the game.