Australia will square off against India in the 1st T20I of the Australia tour of India, five-match T20I series 2023 on Thursday, November 23 at the Dr. Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM IST. The Australian T20 team enters this series with momentum, having secured a convincing 3-0 series win against South Africa in August-September 2023. The Aussies aim to conclude their stint in India by clinching the T20 trophy, building on their earlier triumph in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Openers: Travis Head, Matthew Short
Travis Head arrives in the series following an impressive ODI World Cup 2023 performance. The left-handed batter scored 329 runs in six matches, playing a pivotal role in Australia’s record sixth World Cup title. The opening batter will aim to translate his form into the T20I series against India.
Matthew Short finished as the second-highest run-scorer in the Big Bash League 2022-23 season, amassing 458 runs in 14 matches. The right-handed batter is set to step in as the opener, filling the void left by David Warner, who withdrew from the squad following Australia’s triumph in the ODI World Cup 2023.
Middle-order: Steve Smith, Tim David, Matthew Wade
Steve Smith played a pivotal role in Australia’s ODI World Cup victory, contributing with 302 runs in 10 games. The seasoned right-handed batter is yet to score a half-century in nine T20Is against India and will look to improve that record.
Tim David is known for his power-hitting skills. The right-handed batter accumulated 354 runs in 14 matches for Hobart Hurricanes in the previous edition of the Big Bash League. With prior experience playing for the Mumbai franchise in the Indian T20 League, Tim David’s familiarity with Indian conditions is expected to be advantageous for the Australian team.
Matthew Wade is set to lead the Australian side in the upcoming T20I series. The wicketkeeper-batter emerged as the second-highest run-scorer for Hobart Hurricanes in the last season of the Big Bash T20 league, amassing 307 runs in 12 matches.
All-rounder: Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis
Glenn Maxwell delivered an exceptional performance in the ODI World Cup 2023. The right-handed batter achieved the fastest century in the history of the ODI World Cup. Furthermore, he also became the first Australian to score a double century in the 50-over format. Maxwell amassed a total of 400 runs in nine matches during the recently concluded quadrennial showpiece.
Marcus Stoinis endured a mixed ODI World Cup campaign. The all-rounder accounted for 87 runs and four wickets in six matches. In T20I cricket, Stoinis has accumulated 846 runs and bagged 23 wickets in 54 matches.
Bowlers: Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff
Adam Zampa emerged as the top wicket-taker for Australia in the ODI World Cup 2023, claiming 23 wickets. His skill in making the best use of the conditions on offer played a crucial role in Australia’s successful journey to their record-extending sixth World Cup title. A similar performance will be expected from the leg-spinner in the T20I series against India.
Sean Abbott finished as the leading wicket-taker in the previous edition of the Big Bash T20 league, scalping 29 wickets in 15 matches. Representing the Sydney Sixers, he has established himself as one of the most versatile bowling all-rounders in Australian domestic cricket. His proficiency in bowling during the death overs has rendered him a formidable force in the shortest format of the game.
Pacer Nathan Ellis finished among the top three wicket-takers for the Hobart Hurricanes in the 2022-23 Big Bash League season, claiming 18 wickets in 14 matches. In T20I cricket, the right-arm pacer has amassed 18 wickets in eight matches while representing Australia.
Jason Behrendorff completes Australia’s playing XI. The pacer finished the previous edition of the Big Bash League with 21 wickets from 14 matches, contributing significantly to Perth Scorchers’ title-winning campaign. In T20 Internationals, Jason Behrendorff has taken nine wickets in 10 matches.
Australia Predicted Playing XI: Travis Head, Matthew Short, Steve Smith, Tim David, Matthew Wade (c & wk), Glenn Maxwell, Marcus Stoinis, Adam Zampa, Sean Abbott, Nathan Ellis, Jason Behrendorff
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