The absence of Josh Hazlewood will provide some relief for the Indian batsmen as they aim to enhance their performance in the third T20 International against Australia. However, the ongoing exclusion of left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh remains a perplexing decision in this series.
Throughout the tour, India’s focus on strengthening their batting lineup at the expense of bowling balance has been a topic of discussion. Their low score of 125 at the MCG highlighted the shortcomings of this strategy. Despite the pitch conditions favoring bounce, India chose to go with three spinners, sidelining Arshdeep, who holds the distinction of being the only Indian bowler with 100 T20I wickets.
Ravichandran Ashwin expressed on his Hindi YouTube channel that Arshdeep should be a key consideration, especially when Jasprit Bumrah is in the lineup. The statistics reveal that India’s No. 8 batsman has had limited opportunities to face deliveries in recent T20Is, raising doubts about the wisdom of prioritizing batting depth over bowling options.
Harshit Rana’s performance has come under scrutiny, with questions about his effectiveness both with the bat and ball. As the series moves to Hobart, where swing bowling is expected to play a significant role, India may need to rethink their team composition. The inclusion of Arshdeep in place of Axar Patel could provide the needed variety and strength to the bowling attack.
A more balanced approach could see India field a formidable pace battery comprising Bumrah, Arshdeep, and Harshit, supported by Shivam Dube as the fourth option. Spin responsibilities could be entrusted to Kuldeep Yadav and Varun Chakravarthy, who possess the skills to exploit any favorable conditions.
The pressure will be on Suryakumar Yadav and Shubman Gill to deliver after their underwhelming performances in the previous match. A strategic adjustment in Hobart could shape India’s strategy for the rest of the series. While batting depth remains a priority, the conditions and Arshdeep Singh’s track record advocate strongly for his inclusion.
Projected India XI for the 3rd T20I:
Shubman Gill (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Sanju Samson (wk), Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Shivam Dube, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Kuldeep Yadav, Varun Chakravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah