India and Australia are set to cross swords on Sunday in the third T20I set to take place at Bellerive Oval in Hobart. Australia are leading the five-match series 1-0 after an emphatic four-wicket win in the second game. The five-match series has seen mixed fortunes so far, with the opening fixture being washed out due to rain. Riding a wave of confidence, Australia will look to tighten their grip with another victory that would give them an unassailable advantage in the series.
Australia’s victory in the second game at the MCG was anchored by their bowlers. Josh Hazlewood stood out with a disciplined spell, claiming three crucial wickets that derailed India’s middle order. However, the hosts will be without Hazlewood for the remainder of the series, as the pacer departs to focus on his preparations for the upcoming Ashes series.
In his absence, Australia are expected to bring in Sean Abbott. The squad will also be bolstered by the return of Glenn Maxwell, whose explosive batting and handy off-spin make him a valuable asset. For India, the focus will be on finding consistency in their batting. The top order, featuring Shubman Gill, Tilak Varma, and skipper Suryakumar Yadav, will be under pressure to deliver. India, meanwhile, will be keen to come out strongly and inspire a turnaround after the setback in Melbourne.
Head-to-head
Matches - 33
IND won - 20
AUS won - 12
No result - 1
Australia possible XI: Mitchell Marsh (c), Travis Head, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Mitchell Owen, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Bartlett, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa, Ben Dwarshuis.
India possible XI: Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Sanju Samson (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel/Rinku Singh, Harshit Rana/Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.