India's batting order struggled to gain momentum as they posted 167/8 against Australia in Canberra on Thursday. A late flourish from all-rounder Axar Patel helped India reach a competitive total after a middle-order collapse.
Australia's Matthew Short outlined the threat posed by mystery spinner Varun Chakravarthy and the exacting challenge to nullify him in down under where surfaces hardly offer any assistance to the ball tweakers.
Indian T20 vice-captain Shubman Gill's run drought continued as he struggled to make an impact in the third T20I against Australia in Hobart, falling for 15 runs off 12 deliveries on Sunday. He was trapped lbw by Nathan Ellis inside the power play.
With this win, the series is levelled at 1-1, with two matches left. Earlier, India won the toss and opted to bowl first. After powerplay heroics from pacer Arshdeep Singh (3/35), it was a partnership between skipper Mitch Marsh (11) and Tim David (74 in 38 balls, with eight fours and fiv
India's stylish opener Abhishek Sharma revealed that Harshit Rana's promotion ahead of Shivam Dube came down to the plan of establishing a left-right combination during the second T20I against Australia in Melbourne.
Abhishek Sharma came to India's rescue with Harshit Rana in the supporting role to propel the visitors to 125 in the second T20I against Australia at the famed Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.
The first T20I of the five-match series between Australia and India, which is being played at Manuka Oval in Canberra, was called off due to persistent rain on Wednesday.
Australia captain Mitchell Marsh won the toss and opted to bat against India in the final ODI of the three-match series at the Sydney Cricket Ground on Saturday.
Paramount Pictures, under the leadership of David Ellison, remains in final negotiations to pick up the project based on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol.
While an underwhelming show by top-order, Rohit Sharma (8), Shubman Gill (10), Virat Kohli (0) and Shreyas Iyer (11) put India in trouble at 45/4, it was KL (38 in 31 balls, with two fours and two sixes) and Axar's (31 in 38 balls, with three fours) 39-run stand that provided some stability.
The highly anticipated series opener against Australia at the Optus Stadium will mark the return of Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma in ODIs for the first time since lifting the Champions Trophy on March 9 in Dubai.
The three-match ODI series against India will start in Perth on Sunday. While Australia will be without their captain Pat Cummins, the presence of Starc, Hazlewood and Zampa still offers plenty of experience and help to much younger/fringe talent like Nathan Ellis, Cooper Connolly, Ben Dwars