In the five-match T20I series against Australia in Queensland on Thursday, Suryakumar Yadav’s Team India established an unassailable 2-1 lead, ensuring that their undefeated record since the 2024 T20 World Cup remained intact.
Several crucial stages of play demonstrated the advantages and disadvantages of both teams in a match that took place in difficult conditions, in which India amassed 165 runs and then easily defended it against the Australians. The essential players for India in the coming days as they prepare to defend the T20 World Cup at home in three months were highlighted by former India off-spinner R Ashwin.
Given how Australia handled the two players in the match at the Carrara Oval, Ashwin emphasized that mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy and dashing opener Abhishek Sharma are the main targets for other teams.
“So far, I was saying that handling Jasprit Bumrah is critical, but I would now say, from what I have seen, Tim David handled Varun Chakaravarthy. I am thinking teams will go for Abhishek Sharma and Varun Chakaravarthy if they have to get past India. Against Abhishek Sharma, we will definitely see in this series the plan that is made, and they will definitely invite that. Whatever teams are coming, they will come prepared for the World Cup. Similarly, against Varun Chakaravarthy, because that will give them leverage in that T20 World Cup,” Ashwin said on his YouTube channel.
Ashwin also mentioned how the Australian seamers used wide angles outside the off-stump to limit the dangerous bat swing of the in-form Abhishek in the last match.
“Abhishek Sharma has been one of the deadly batters against fast bowlers inside the powerplay, against any bowler. Australian bowlers to Abhishek Sharma, in the powerplay itself, he made 29 off 23, of which a sixth over went for a lot. Before that, Abhishek Sharma was going at less than a run a ball. See, they had a plan to slightly reduce bat swing,” remarked Ashwin.
“You will notice that Nathan Ellis hasn’t bowled any balls within the stumps to Abhishek Sharma. They have gone wide outside the off stump, and they also went a bit pace off to make sure that a swinging arc is curtailed. So against Abhishek Sharma, he is not weak on the off side; he hits very strongly there. But they are limiting hitting areas by bowling slightly wider and also taking the pace off so that it can come a bit straighter. I thought they bowled really well,” he added.
With 989 runs, Abhishek leads India’s batting charts in the current World Cup cycle, while 33-year-old Chakaravarthy leads the bowling charts with 43 wickets in 22 games.
