3 things to look forward to in the 2nd T20I between India and Australia
Action in the India vs Australia T20I series will shift from Visakhapatnam to Thiruvananthapuram as the second game of the five-match rubber is all set to take place on Sunday, November 26.
The hosts clinched a thrilling win in the opening encounter, which was characterized by plenty of entertaining moments. Even though it appeared as if the contest would be a damp squib in the aftermath of the taxing World Cup final, the two teams participating made it worth watching.
Josh Inglis and Suryakumar Yadav grabbed eyeballs with their pyrotechnics, while there were a number of other storylines that contributed to the engaging nature of the match. Fans can expect a good deal of fun in the upcoming game as well.
Here are three things to look forward to in the second T20I between India and Australia.
#3 Ravi Bishnoi will be eyeing a good comeback in 2nd T20I
Ravi Bishnoi has been in and around the Indian T20I team for a few years now, but he hasn't been able to nail down a spot yet. As things currently stand, the young leg-spinner is one of the few options the Men in Blue can call upon in that department.
Yuzvendra Chahal has been dropped from the side, and rightfully so. Others like Rahul Chahar and Mayank Markande haven't quite made the step up from the Indian Premier League (IPL) level yet, making Bishnoi and Kuldeep Yadav the only real contenders to be the team's lead wrist-spinner.
Bishnoi was taken to the cleaners by Josh Inglis in the first T20I, conceding as many as six sixes and going for well above 50 runs in his four overs. He was his economical self in the recently concluded Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, though, and will want to return to his threatening best at the earliest.
How Bishnoi bounces back is definitely something to keep an eye on on Sunday.
#2 Ruturaj Gaikwad will probably face a ball on Sunday
One of the biggest tragedies in India's performance in the first T20I was the fact that they had three run-outs in the second innings, including that of Ruturaj Gaikwad, who returned to the pavilion without facing a ball. Yashasvi Jaiswal called his partner through for a double before turning back, leaving him stranded way outside the crease.
Appointed India's vice-captain for the first three T20Is, Gaikwad will be keen on justifying the selectors' faith in him and truly stamp his authority on the international stage. That's something he hasn't been able to do so far, and soft dismissals like run-outs haven't helped matters.
Gaikwad missed out on a batting-friendly surface in the previous game, and while conditions are bound to get tougher in Thiruvananthapuram, he will probably face a ball on Sunday. And if he faces many, fans are likely in for a treat.
#1 Could Australia's big guns return?
Several Australian players who took part in their victorious run to the 2023 World Cup are part of their squad for the T20I series. Glenn Maxwell, Travis Head, and Adam Zampa are three of those names, all of whom played crucial roles for the Kangaroos in the marquee ICC event.
Maxwell, Head, and Zampa were understandably given a breather during the series opener, even as Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Sean Abbott, and Josh Inglis stepped onto the field to feature for the side. Now, having gotten a few days off, the aforementioned trio could strap up.
Australia might want to give them a slightly longer break, and the fact that it's a five-match series gives them the freedom to do so. However, it certainly wouldn't be a surprise if one or more of them turned up to turn their team's fortunes around on Sunday.