After being defeated by 48 runs in the fourth match, Australia host India at the Gabba in Brisbane on Saturday, November 8. India now lead the series 2-1, as the first match was washed out. The visitors arrive high on confidence. Skipper Suryakumar Yadav will rally his troops, reminding them they have the chance to win a special series away from home. That should be motivation enough for the Men in Blue. While much was expected from their openers, fortunately, all three departments have stepped up when needed.
Australia have relied heavily on sloggers and power hitters in their lineup. Surprisingly, this approach has not paid off. These players have ignored strike rotation and failed to convert singles into doubles or triples. This oversight has cost them in every match. Except for Nathan Ellis, Australia's bowlers have failed to make use of home conditions, allowing India to score big totals. The Kangaroos must improve their bowling in this game, especially during the power play when fielding restrictions apply.
India know how to beat Australia. They must be sharp in their own middle overs, both with the bat and ball. With the bat, their game plan is quite simple: go as hard as possible at all times and not worry about having any anchors in the side. With the ball, their spinners will be deputed to be accurate in these overs and not give away too much room for the Aussie batters to utilise. Their tweakers, strangely, have performed well on these pitches Down Under, where seamers are traditionally expected to thrive.
Predicted Teams
AUS: Mitchell Marsh (c), Matthew Short, Josh Inglis (wk), Tim David, Josh Philippe, Marcus Stoinis, Glenn Maxwell, Xavier Bartlett, Ben Dwarshuis, Nathan Ellis, Adam Zampa.
IND: Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma, Suryakumar Yadav (c), Tilak Varma, Jitesh Sharma (wk), Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Varun Chakaravarthy, Jasprit Bumrah.
Key Players
Glenn Maxwell (AUS): Senior batter Glenn Maxwell, who plays in the middle-order, is a crucial player for Australia. Known for his ability to hit most deliveries for massive sixes, Maxwell is a smart operator who can play according to any field that has been set for him. The Victorian is also a more than handy off-spinner who can bowl a few tight overs whenever Australia are leaking runs. Maxwell is an extraordinary fielder who can ply his trade at any part of the ground.
Jasprit Bumrah (IND): Perhaps the world's best fast bowler, Jasprit Bumrah evokes terror in the hearts of most batters who get the opportunity to face him. The speedster, with his slingy action and short run-up, is known to get the ball to skid through and come back in from a hard length. Most importantly, Bumrah likes to hit the back of a length consistently, as this gives him the chance to get the ball to move both ways after pitching. Bumrah is accurate with his yorkers, cutters, and bouncers.
Match Prediction
India, with a 2-1 lead behind them, are the favourites to win here. With regards to quality and experience, they are a much better side, even though Australia can boast of players such as Glenn Maxwell and Mitchell Marsh who have seen a lot in their respective careers. Still, the visitors are clearly the hungrier of the two sides on offer here, and this has given them an advantage over their opponents. Most importantly, the Men in Blue have the right mix of youth and senior players in their squad, which is an absolute necessity in T20 cricket.