India ponder options after series-winning streak ends

Big Picture

Australia's opening victory over India was, to a degree, unexpected. However, the manner in which the tourists staggered over the line suggested strongly that Aaron Finch's team remains very much a work in progress, both mentally and technically.

Having put together a diligent display with the ball and in the field - albeit aided by MS Dhoni's 'take it to the finish' batting instincts - the Australians appeared to be on course for a comfortable victory with Glenn Maxwell in the vanguard.

But the collapse that followed Maxwell's skied miscue of a Yuzvendra Chahal legbreak was redolent of a team lacking either recent form in the case of Ashton Turner, or confidence in chasing as is the case with Marcus Stoinis, Maxwell and Peter Handscomb, all part of Melbourne Stars' traumatic surrender of the Big Bash League final to Melbourne Renegades led by Finch. Equally, the mastery of Jasprit Bumrah over Australia was well and truly maintained, leaving it possible to wonder how the game might have panned out if he had been bowling the final over rather than Umesh Yadav.

India, too, have questions, particularly around Dhoni's place in the batting order alongside the younger wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant, who has been good enough as a pure batsman to earn a place in the team. A seasoned team that has not lost a T20I series to Australia in more than a decade will expect better in Bengaluru.

Form guide

(last five completed matches)

India LLWLW

Australia WLWLL

In the spotlight

Criticism of MS Dhoni's batting methods is far from new - he has weathered plenty of questions about his chosen way of modulating an innings over many years. What has changed is the presence of Pant in close proximity alongside him as a possible option to not only bat in the middle order for India but also take the gloves. In a way this, resembles how a young Adam Gilchrist was a specialist batsman in an ODI team led by Ian Healy in South Africa in 1997. Australia won that series, but Healy was out of the team by year's end.

Not only did the handing of the wicketkeeping gloves to Peter Handscomb suggest he is now firmly in the running to replace Alex Carey as the No. 1 keeper in Australia's white-ball run to the 2019 World Cup, it also placed the Victorian right-hander in a key post as middle-order batsman. Following the Stars' BBL final defeat, Handscomb was not alone in carrying a good deal of frustration and anxiety about the circumstances of a failed chase. Both Handscomb and the Australian management will be hoping for a more sure-footed innings in the second game.

Team news

The expensive Umesh and the young Pant might both be somewhat nervous about their places after the opening loss. India are also likely to bring back the rested Shikhar Dhawan. If they stick to their policy of giving a run to the fringe players, then Dhawan coming back could mean Rohit Sharma earning a rest.

India (possible) 1 KL Rahul, 2 Rohit Sharma/Shikhar Dhawan, 3 Virat Kohli, 4 Rishabh Pant/Vijay Shankar, 5 MS Dhoni (wk), 6 Dinesh Karthik, 7 Krunal Pandya, 8 Umesh Yadav/Siddarth Kaul, 9 Yuzvendra Chahal, 10 Mayank Markande, 11 Jasprit Bumrah

Australia's team for Vizag included the shuffling of Stoinis up the order and Handscomb taking the gloves in place of Carey. Kane Richardson, Nathan Lyon, Usman Khawaja and Shaun Marsh are among the options in reserve.

Australia (possible): 1 Marcus Stoinis, 2 D'Arcy Short, 3 Aaron Finch (capt), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Peter Handscomb (wk), 6 Ashton Turner, 7 Nathan Coulter-Nile, 8 Pat Cummins, 9 Jhye Richardson, 10 Jason Behrendorff, 11 Adam Zampa

Pitch and conditions

Fine, warm weather is forecast for Bengaluru, while the pitch can be expected to be on the flat, slow side.

Stats and Trivia

• Australia and India have never played a T20I in the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, although the tourists did complete a three-wicket victory over Bangladesh at the venue during the World T20 in 2016.

• India have not lost a bilateral T20I series against Australia since being defeated in a one-off match at the MCG in January 2008.

Quotes

"Obviously it's important to go out there and win every game but eventually we have to understand that it's cricket, it's an unpredictable sport. Talking about momentum, I guess we have been doing really well, we haven't been losing consecutive matches… So, when it comes to momentum, it is with the Indian team and I'm pretty sure that tomorrow and as well as in the one-day series, we'll do well."

Krunal Pandya on the Indians being confident of bouncing back

"Sometimes plans don't come off but 'Stoiny' up the top has been unbelievable for the Stars. I daresay if he gets his crack again to open he'll dominate. And Finchy at three I like as well, he can control it, he'll still probably bat in the Power Play and he can really dominate from that position."

Peter Handscomb on the changes to the Australian order for the opening match