The second T20I between India and Australia will be taking in Nagpur and will start at 7:30 PM IST on Tuesday (September 23). The T20I match will be aired live on Star Sports Network in India. The online streaming of the 1st T20I between India and Australia will be available on Disney+ Hotstar.
To compound the team's worries, the 'three-and-a-half' pronged pace attack, including Hardik Pandya, conceded 150 runs in 14 overs.
Bhuvneshwar Kumar, the seasoned pro, has already been taken to cleaners. He has leaked 49 runs in the three penultimate overs (19th) that he bowled against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Australia.
In this backdrop, a fit and fiery Bumrah is a pre-requisite for India as the home bowlers are increasingly being found out on batting belters.
The worst part about the team is that with five more official T20Is left before the opening T20 World Cup game against Pakistan on October 23, the Indian team looks highly unsettled.
If the approach of top three was a problem going into the Asia Cup, the bigger worry has been the bowling which has been exposed in good batting conditions.
Yuzvendra Chahal, who has been India's go-to spinner in all conditions, isn't looking menacing anymore. He has been expensive in the last few games and he will have to find a way to trouble the batters on wickets which doesn't offer much purchase.
However, all-rounder Axar Patel, who was shoed in as a like-for-like replacement of injured Ravindra Jadeja, has once again proved his worth with a three-wicket haul on Tuesday.
Squads: Australia: Aaron Finch (C), Sean Abbott, Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins, Tim David, Nathan Ellis, Cameron Green, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Daniel Sams, Steve Smith, Matthew Wade, Adam Zampa.
India: Rohit Sharma (C), KL Rahul (vc), Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Deepak Hooda, Rishabh Pant, Dinesh Karthik, Hardik Pandya, Ravichandaran Ashwin, Yuzvendra Chahal, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Harshal Patel, Deepak Chahar, Jasprit Bumrah, Umesh Yadav. Match starts at 7.30 IST.
*With inputs from agencies
