India suffered a heartbreaking defeat against Australia in the first T20 of Australia Tour of India 2022 in Mohali. Rohit Sharma and Co. dominated with the bat to post 208/6 after batting first but failed to defend the target.
Aussie skipper Aaron Finch asked the hosts to bat first. Rohit and Kohli could not contribute much and were sent packing cheaply. Middle order took charge and kept the scoreboard ticking. India was on top post Hardik Pandya‘s (71*) quickfire innings.
Australia attacked from bowl one as they came out to chase a total of 209. Indian pacers were put under pressure. However, India dug their own grave, dropping three straightforward catches. Matthew Wade’s (45*) arrival at the crease was the final nail in the coffin. He attacked both the Indian death bowlers and sealed the victory for his team.
Batting or Bowling – India's biggest weakness?#INDvAUS pic.twitter.com/L61wafHwbD
— CricFit (@CricFit) September 20, 2022
The Men in Blue will have a lot of work to do if they have to bounce back in the next game and keep the series alive. On that note, let us take a look at three changes India can make for the second T20I against Australia scheduled to take place on Friday, September 23, in Nagpur.
3 changes India Can Make In The 2nd T20I Against Australia
#1 Jasprit Bumrah
Bumrah is making a comeback in this series after being out of action owing to injury. He was expected to feature in the first match itself but was kept on the bench as a precautionary measure. Bumrah has been India’s trump card for a while now. He was missed excessively in the Asia Cup of 2022.
Umesh Yadav traveled with the team at the last moment but has been impressive so far. Harshal Patel and Bhuvneshwar Kumar were below par with their performances in the first game. So, the management has a task up their sleeves to decide who stays and who is shown the exit gates.
#2 Rishabh Pant
Dinesh Karthik failed to make an impact during his five-ball stay at the crease. The resurgence of Karthik has been an inspiring journey, but his performance has been inconsistent. He faces fierce competition from his peer, Rishabh Pant. The youngster could be the second change in the team for the next game. He provides stability in the middle order and is a perfect T20 player. His acceleration rate has made him a fan favorite.
The Pant vs Karthik debate erupted after Rohit Sharma issued a statement claiming that they couldn’t both play in the same playing XI. Since then, India has played musical chairs with the keepers. They are still trying to figure out who fits best with the T20 World Cup approaching in just a few weeks.
#3 Deepak Chahar
Deepak Chahar is the third likely change for the upcoming match. He has been in and out of the squad for a long time now. He sustained a lower back injury during the IPL 2022 and only returned during the series against Zimbabwe.
Chahar has been named in reserves list for the T20 World Cup and the management will want to give him some games and keep him ready for the marquee event if at all needed.
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