New Delhi: As the Suryakumar Yadav-led Indian cricket team gears up for a blockbuster five-match T20I series against Australia starting Wednesday, excitement is palpable. Yet, here’s the twist: eight players in the squad are set to don the blues for their maiden T20I appearance Down Under.
Despite this relative inexperience, Team India holds a commanding edge, thanks to an unblemished record on Aussie soil.
The debutants include promising all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy (22), who’s just embarking on his international journey, alongside Test and ODI skipper Shubman Gill — surprisingly, yet to play a T20I in Australia. Joining them are fiery pacer Harshit Rana (23), explosive opener Abhishek Sharma (25), middle-order dynamo Rinku Singh (28), hard-hitting Shivam Dube (32), wicketkeeper-batsman Jitesh Sharma (32), and mystery spinner Varun Chakaravarthy (34), the squad’s eldest.
Early indications suggest Harshit, Abhishek, Gill, Dube, and Chakaravarthy could feature in the opener at Perth, blending youth with flair. “These lads have already stamped their authority in T20Is elsewhere,” quipped a team insider, hinting at a fearless approach.
But why the optimism? India has never lost a T20I series in Australia — winning two outright and drawing the other two from four outings. The Men in Blue have triumphed in the last three bilateral battles, setting a high bar.
This marks the first-ever five-match T20I showdown between the arch-rivals, promising fireworks under the southern skies.
Can the rookies rise to the occasion and extend India’s dominance? Cricket fans are buckling up for what could be a series of surprises.